Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Listen. It should be ‘Gilyoung Detective Agency’.”

“Nooo, that sounds so bad. It’s goofy. We should name it ‘The Yoosung Detective Agency’.”

“No, peasants. None of it sounds good. My name will be used, and it will be called ‘Mia’s Agency of Detection’, and that’s final.”

“Why do you always have to be so extra?”

“At least I’m not cringe.”

“You guys are blundering idiots. God knows why I befriended you.”

“Excuse me!”

“You’re excused.”

“Hey!”

Three eleven-year-olds were arguing in a park.

The one with pigtails, the girl who suggested ‘Mia’s Agency of Detection’, said, “Our argument is becoming very childish. We should handle this like the responsible adults we are. Not like kids.”

They were, in fact, kids, and not responsible adults. But they would resent you, if you told them that.

The girl in twin braids, called Yoosung, spoke up, “I have a great idea.”

“That’s what you always say”, said the boy, “but sure. Let’s hear you out.”

“Shut up, Gilyoung. I think the name should be ‘G.Y.M Detective Agency’. It’s a combination of our initials.”

Mia nodded thoughtfully. “You know what, Yoosung. That’s a sound idea. That’s why I like you better than him.”

“Hey! Stop ganging up on me!”

Satisfied with their name, they decided to focus on the more important problem. Which was:

“But where will we get our first case?”

Mia and Gilyoung looked at Yoosung. Indeed. This was something they had overlooked.

Mia shrugged and Gilyoung scratched his head as he spoke, “I guess… if people bring cases to us?”

Mia said, “Maybe my older brother might have a case for us to solve?”

Yoosung shook her head. “How will we know if he doesn’t come to us by himself? People go to the police when they have problems. The police don’t go around seeking victims.”

Gilyoung said, “My younger sister has A LOT of problems. All the time. If we go to her, we won’t even have to ask her for any. She’ll definitely be stuck in some situation.”

Mia said, “But your sister’s problems are the ones that only you and the orphanage mentors can solve. We need bigger, real and more important issues.”

Just then, a bigger, real and more important issue presented itself to them.

All three of them snapped their heads towards the bush at the same time, as a rattling sound came from it.

A bit scared- no, no. Startled. Of course they were only startled. Anyways, startled, the three held each other’s hands and began moving back swiftly.

And just then something very tiny pounced out of the bush.

They paused and stared at each other, and then at a Golden Retriever pup in front of them, wagging its tail excitedly and looking up at them with its head tilted.

And they immediately broke into squeals and began gushing after it.

“You’re SO cuuuuute, awwwww! I’ll cry!”

“How can you be so squishable? How??”

“I wanna cuddle you! You’re a wee baby! So little! You’re best boy! Best baby!”

The three hurriedly rushed to the pup and began petting its fur and ruffling its coat and smothering its face with kisses. The puppy, in return, licked their faces in excitement.

They couldn’t stop continuously squealing in a high-pitched voice.

And that’s when they noticed something.

“Guys”, said Mia.

“What?”

“See here”, she pointed to the collar on the pup’s neck, written on which was ‘Biyoo’.

“It’s a pet?!” Cried Yoosung.

“Did you expect a Golden Retriever to be a stray?” Asked Gilyoung.

“But then where is its owner?”

The three stared at each other. Then smiled slowly as they realised: They just received their first case.

Gilyoung spoke to the puppy, who looked at him in confusion and curiosity. “Don’t worry, cutie pie. We’ll reunite you with your owner.”

But perhaps their first case was fated to be solved by itself, because from the same direction that Biyoo had come, they could hear a velvety voice calling out its name.

Biyoo recognised the voice immediately and jumped up, wagging its tail at a speed the three children thought should have been impossible, and then rushed in that direction.

Deciding that they should go with the pup just so it wouldn’t get lost again, the three tagged behind it.

They skidded to a halt when they saw Biyoo getting scooped up into the arms of a man, who smiled fondly at the pup and said, “There you are. Why had you run off?”

He then seemed to take notice of the three children, who were staring at him as though he had grown three heads.

In reality, the children were just taken aback by his beautiful ugliness.

He had a face clear of blemishes, except the heavy bags under his eyes. His black hair was shiny and light but toussled and sweaty, and fell onto his face. He also had very few white hairs on his head, but they weren’t very glaringly obvious. He had a slim face structure and small pink lips, which were cracked and chopped. The edges of his nose and his cheeks were slightly pink. His eyes were green and shone as the sunrays fell on them, but inherently, looked dull and sleepy. His eyelashes were quite long, and brushed against his cheekbones when he blinked in confusion.

He seemed to be taller than the average height, but not too tall. Despite the puffed-up jacket and trackpants he was wearing, it was clear he had a lean figure, since his thin arms were visible due to his rolled up sleeves, and due to his jutting collarbones.

One thing was clear to the children. This man would be pretty if he took care of himself just a bit. He had all the features to look ugly, and yet, he somehow looked softly and gently beautiful, the kind to draw you in without any warning.

Having had enough of being intensely judged by three children with crossed arms and mean expressions (is what he thought), he squatted down to their level and said, “Did you find Biyoo for me? Thank you.”

He gave a gentle smile and just as he was about to stand up and head back, Mia said, “Has somebody told you that you have the looks of a model but the lifestyle habits of a hobo?”

The man just stared at her in confusion. What brought on such a personal attack? He wasn’t sure how to react to the backhanded compliment.

Before he could open his mouth to even formulate a proper reply, Yoosung spoke up. “The only problem is that you have huge eyebags, cracked lips and no light in your eyes. I think they’re a bit dry, too. You just need to get enough sleep and hydration and use some lip balm.”

He was slightly taken aback. He wasn’t sure if the kids were being rude or genuinely concerned. Either way, they were really audacious.

He then looked at the boy with an eyebrow raised, inviting him also to give his two cents, if he had any.

And of course he did. He perked up and said, “You should also work out a bit. You’ll get a very good body.”

The man simply sighed and summoned all the patience in the world. Then spoke very slowly to the three kids. “I thank you very much for your concern, but I’m not sure you should be talking to a random stranger. And even give him advice regarding his health. Currently, we are in a silent corner of the park, and for all you know, I could kidnap you.”

He gave a cheshire grin, hoping to scare off the children.

But they were not the G.Y.M Detective Agency for nothing.

Mia said, “Kidnappers usually don’t tell their victims they’re going to kidnap them.”

The man mentally facepalmed. Then he said, “Tell you what? I’m saying this so that you let your guards down… which I see is already not very up, and I’m rather concerned.”

Gilyoung sniggered. “I doubt a kidnapper would have a cute dog. And even if he did, he wouldn’t carry him to kidnap people.”

Yoosung said, “Even if you try to kidnap us, we’d overpower you. We’re three, and you’re one thin person.”

“I’m thirty.”

He did not look thirty. But it mattered neither way. So, the kids asked in sync.

“So?”

The man sighed. He sure did it a lot. Biyoo yipped, as if cackling.

He pinched his forehead and stood up. He somehow looked older with the frown settling on his eyebrows.

He began to walk away, but felt little footsteps following him. This was a really worrying thing. If he had really been a kidnapper, these children would have willingly been kidnapped.

He turned around in annoyance and glared at the kids.

“Are you following me to play with the puppy?”

The three shook their heads.

“What then?”

“To reprimand you for your irresponsibility.”

His eyes widened for a second. For kids who looked very young, they sure had a great vocabulary. Perhaps they just read lots of books.

That assumption made him automatically soften a bit.

Gilyoung said, “Your puppy ran away from you and came to us. We need to investigate you.”

The man stared at them in utter confusion. Investigate?

“May I know your authority?” He decided to humour them.

At the prospect of being recognised, Mia immediately spoke up, “We are the G.Y.M Detective Agency! Always on the alert to solve everyone’s problems! If you or any relative of yours has any problems ever, you can always come to us for help.”

He chuckled fondly at her words. Children and their shenanigans.

“Will I be free to go away and be left alone after the investigation?”

“That remains to be seen, based on the judgement you receive”, Yoosung said.

Gilyoung asked, “Why did your puppy run away? Are you just irresponsible, or does he not like you? Do you mistreat him?”

“Biyoo is a her. And no, I don’t mistreat her. Whenever I bring her to the park, she runs around a bit, but stays within my sight, mainly because I follow her along wherever she goes. Today, I came across a coworker on a jog, and I decided to talk to her, and I was keeping an eye on Biyoo. She saw a butterfly and started chasing it, and I let her run, because I could see where she was going. That’s why I came towards where you were, because I had seen her go that way. Had I been mistreating her due to which she ran away, she wouldn’t have got so excited seeing me and jumped into my arms. And fallen asleep like she is, right now.”

It was true. Biyoo had dozed off in his arms comfortably.

The three kids seemed somewhat satisfied.

The man asked, “Have your parents never told you to stay away from strangers, especially if others are not around?”

Gilyoung deadpanned, “None of us has parents.”

The man blinked.

“We’re all orphans”, said Yoosung .

He was about to fervently apologise, when Mia said, “I do have an older brother though. But he’s younger than you by certain years.”

“Is he your guardian?”

“Yes.”

“Has he never told you to steer clear of strangers?”

“He did. Many times.”

“But you are not listening to him.”

She clapped her hands and said, “Astute observation.”

Kids these days were too sassy.

“I’m going home. Don’t follow me.”

He adjusted Biyoo again, who had started to slide down. While he did, the children noticed something they hadn’t paid attention to before.

“Do you have a mirror on your wrist?”

The man froze, like a robber caught mid-robbery. He turned towards them.

His pale wrist had a snake shaped pattern on it, which was an actual mirror. Biyoo’s fur was being reflected in it, as well as the surroundings.

He chuckled nervously, “You can see it?”

His reaction was very suspicious to the kids. They nodded together.

He quickly pulled down his sleeves to cover his wrist and said, “It’s just a tattoo.”

“Are you rich?” Mia asked excitedly.

“Why?”

“My brother told me mirrors are made by silver. You must be rich to have such a real mirror tattoo made of silver on your wrist. That too in such an intricate snake silhouette.”

The man awkwardly smiled and said, “Haha, yes. Something like that.”

And then he zoomed out of there so fast the kids weren’t sure he had even existed there.

“Something tells me”, Gilyoung said in a conspiratorial tone, “there’s more to that guy than meets the eye.”

Mia nodded and said, “You just rhymed. Anyways, I agree. I think he was lying about the tattoo thingy.”

“We might just debut with a blast in the world of detectives, thanks to that man”, said Yoosung . Then she facepalmed. “We forgot to ask his name.”

The three of them sighed heavily.

“Hopefully we see Mr. Mystery Mirror Man tomorrow as well. We’ll come here at the exact same time, and look for him.”

“We’re so gonna tell this whole thing to Jihye noona and Namwoon hyung. They’d definitely wanna hop on to the case, and possibly join our agency. Not that we need them, but they’d realise how cool we are, despite being younger than them.”

After that, the kids decided to play around and do whatever kids do.

******

It was lunchtime when they finally decided to part.

They bid a tearful goodbye, knowing full well they’d meet again in the evening itself to play.

Mia headed home to her brother, and Yoosung and Gilyoung headed back to ‘Bright Souls’ Orphanage.

It was an orphanage where children above the age of eight had a lot of freedom. They could come and go as they wished, only staying there to sleep and eat. Some children stayed there at all times, while others roamed around outside, as long as they returned back before the curfew, which was 8:30 p.m. If any kid didn’t return by then, the authorities would set out to find them and bring them back. And would give them a proper rebuke and revoke some of their freedom for a few days.

The orphanage also had a school, but it was currently closed due to summer vacations.

Yoosung and Gilyoung had met and befriended Mia when her brother had taken her to an arcade near the orphanage. Since then, they had formed an unbreakable friendship. The three were a few months younger than nine years old at that time, and Mia’s brother was twenty-one.

They hung out so often at Mia’s house that it might as well have been theirs. Her brother also spoilt them by cooking delicious food and bringing gifts for them every other day.

At the orphanage, Yoosung and Gilyoung had two more friends (read: victims). Lee Jihye and Kim Namwoon, both of them sixteen. Jihye was a reckless and airheaded but also determined and strong teenager, and Namwoon was a cringy edgelord who happened to have good knowledge of martial arts. Mia had also befriended them because they had often dragged them to the arcade with them.

The three kids knew Namwoon was a hopeless romantic for Jihye, but she was perpetually annoyed by his words and actions.

Talk of the Devil.

Just as Yoosung and Gilyoung sat down to eat, Jihye and Namwoon popped up from behind. One thing was for sure. Jihye and Namwoon always moved around together.

“What were you gremlins up to, today?”, Jihye asked as she slipped into the seat beside Yoosung . Right next to her sat Namwoon.

Yoosung and Gilyoung were just waiting to tell them. So, they immediately burst into chatter, talking animatedly with food in their mouths, about the cute little puppy and its owner, the Mysterious Mirror Tattoo man they met in the morning.

Jihye was positively intrigued and curious, but she had to put on a responsible big sister act. “You shouldn’t hold such long conversations with strangers in the absence of any trusted adult.”

Yoosung rolled her eyes. “Adults are disappointing, so we don’t trust any.”

Gilyoung added, “Besides, you once said that a person loved by a dog and who loves dogs in return is a good person.”

Namwoon said, “Well, still…”

Jihye said, “I don’t get what you are saying, though. A mirror tattooed onto his wrist? Are you sure? I feel like maybe you misunderstood it.”

“No, no”, replied Yoosung . “We’re sure of what we saw.”

Namwoon said, “It must be so cool. I wanna see it.”

“Then you’ll have to come with us tomorrow”, said Gilyoung . “We’re going to the park at the same time we met him today, and we’ll look for him there.”

Jihye raised an eyebrow. “Stalker-ish much?”

Yoosung shrugged. “Nothing is unfair when we are trying to get to the truth.”

Needless to say, Jihye was very curious. So of course, she agreed.

But then a question came to her mind. “You said he sounded shocked that you three could see his tattoo?”

She received a nod. “Then that means maybe it’s something that shouldn’t be visible to everyone. If so, it must not be a tattoo. And if it’s not visible to everyone but you three saw it, what’s the chance we will also see it?”

They all fell silent. Namwoon said, “Well, she has a point.”

Gilyoung said, “You can never know unless you see it for yourselves. Just tag along. Even if you don’t see the mirror thingy, you can see him and his puppy.”

The plan was concluded, then. They’d all go together.

*******

When Mia slipped into her house, her brother was in his room, streaming.

Her brother had always loved to play video games, earning a sense of control and using it as a way to relieve his stress. He had a natural talent, so he decided to stream his gaming. He soon rose among the ranks of the topmost popular gamers, and his precision and grace in the art of gaming gained him a lot of traction from critics and viewers alike. Besides, his sharp and youthful visuals like that of a heartthrob increased his popularity and consequently, his earnings.

Mia went to her bedroom and played with her toys, waiting for her brother to finish streaming.

When she heard the slightly deep voice of her brother saying, “That’s it for today. I will see you all again tomorrow”, she stepped outside her room.

Her brother was removing his streaming setup when she greeted him with a “Yo, caveman.” Despite there being a huge age gap between them, they were very comfortable with each other. After all, the both of them had only each other as family.

His eye twitched in annoyance. He moved to the kitchen and just began plating the food he had made earlier, efficient and quiet.

Mia sat at the dining table and was dangling her legs when he put the plate in front of her.

“Wow! Fried chicken and fried rice?! Oh I’m going to-”

Just as she was about to pick a leg piece, he stopped her little hand. “Did you wash your hands?” He asked sternly.

She just sighed and jumped out of her chair and ran to the sink to quickly wash her hands. She ran back to her seat and sat down.

“May I eat now, mummy?”

He smacked her on the back of her head but had to hide a small smile threatening to show on his lips. “Go ahead.”

As she began absolutely demolishing the chicken and the rice, he simply sat there and watched her eat, lovingly.

Mia’s eyes suddenly lit up, as if remembering something. With rice in her mouth, she spoke with absolute disregard for table etiquettes, “You wouldn’t believe what happened today!”

He frowned and wiped her mouth with a tissue. “Don’t speak while eating. Finish the food in your mouth.”

Mia quickly swallowed what she was eating, and gulped down water. He stared at her in disbelief.

“Okay, so…”

She started ranting on and on about everything that happened in the morning, many parts making her brother raise an eyebrow.

By the time she was done talking nonstop and felt breathless, her brother stared at her unimpressed and sternly.

“The three of you talked so long and even tried to follow a thirty year old man?”

She nodded and smiled sheepishly. “Well, when you say it like that…”

“I’m not saying anything like that. I’m saying it exactly like what it is. And you plan to go to the park tomorrow to find him again?”

“We won’t be alone! Jihye unnie and Namwoon oppa will tag along. They’re close to becoming adults.”

“They aren’t yet, and that’s what matters. They’re stupid kids, if maybe a bit less than you three.”

“Hey!”

“You won’t go to the park tomorrow. And tell Gilyoung and Yoosung also to drop it. He was clearly a suspicious man, and his words and behaviour regarding the mirror tattoo makes it clear that he isn’t very safe.”

“But-”

“Yoo Mia. You’re not going there tomorrow. You’ll stay at home in the morning. There’s nothing more to be said.”

Mia finished eating quickly and got out of the chair, stomped her foot on the ground as her pigtails swished violently, and ran to her room, just on the verge of crying.

Her brother sighed deeply. Children were difficult.

About half an hour later, he coaxed her by promising to take her to the pet and book cafe she had been wanting to go to for days, the very next day.

Her sniffles stopped and she immediately agreed.

Regardless to say, when she met her friends in the evening and tried to convince them not to go after the man, of course they didn’t agree.

But it was quickly taken care of when her brother revealed his intimidating side and scolded Gilyoung , Yoosung , Jihye and Namwoon. When they all frowned at the same time, he sighed and told them he’d take all of them to the cafe.

He thought now they would never have to deal with the man again.

He thought.

**********

It was a very weird day for him today.

Being confronted by three kiddos was not on his list, but there he was.

He stood in front of the mirror and stared at his face. Perhaps he could do with a little bit of proper sleep.

Unintentionally, his hand reached to his left wrist to unbutton the cuff.

He paused and stared at his eyes in the mirror, the blues staring back at him. Unblinking. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

He pulled his sleeve up and stared down at the mirror on his wrist. Flexed and unflexed the muscle. Stared at his wrist’s reflection in the mirror in front of him. Untainted. Bare. Clean. Nothing.

He quickly pulled down the sleeve when he heard Biyoo bark for food. He heard his dear mother call for him, and his father immediately making a jesting comment. And then the lighthearted argument they had, which was full of love.

It was okay.

He was the real deal. The real one.

He was here. Loved. He had family, friends, wealth. A good life. He was chosen.

He gave a last glance at the mirror, then covered it with the black cloth and left the room.

He didn’t hear the distant sound of glass cracking.

Chapter Text

He shifted slightly as he looked into the mirror.

He had always made it a point to just not stare at his reflection, even going as far as covering the mirrors in his mansion with black curtains. His parents had no problem with it, and did anything for their dear son.

After all, it would be weird if they had a problem with this wish of his.

However, while getting ready to go into the company building of ‘M1RR0RED INC.’ for his mandatory training as the future CEO, he suddenly remembered the words of the kids yesterday.

And he wanted to see if he really had the ‘looks of a model’ underneath the tiredness.

Therefore, he stared determinedly at the reflection of his face in the mirror, forcing his eyes not to flick towards his wrist, while applying lip balm.

He was applying lip balm only because his lip got cut. Certainly not because the kids had called him out on his chapped lips.

He felt a bit creeped out staring into the blue and monotonous eyes from his reflection. It usually unsettled him to look at his eyes, because he would see blue, and everyone told him he had green.

He couldn’t argue with anyone, he supposed. To each their own.

He pulled the black curtain back down and went out of his room while buttoning his cuffs. He ran down the stairs to greet his parents.

His father was sitting on the sofa and was already dressed for work. He was the current CEO of M1RR0RED Corporations, a game developing company based around a franchise of futuristic AI-dominated parallel universes and timelines, all games set in different dimensions and worlds of the franchise, the common feature in all of them being the concept of replication or mirroring, i.e., each world having a portal to its corresponding mirror world, from where they can gather allies or enemies or artefacts and events.

M1RR0RED Corporations was the largest gaming company in the country of Lakritia, and one of the top ten popular worldwide. From mind-blowing graphics to efficient gameplay and features to unlimited imagination and outstanding worldbuilding, it was all thanks to the creativity and experience of the workers in the company that all its games were so realistic, widely known and hugely loved.

That’s what people thought.

What people didn’t know was that being a game-developing company was a facade the CEO and the workers put on.

The main reason for the birth of the company and its continuation since decades was something else. Someone lost someone, someone found something, things that didn’t make sense emerged, and those who saw those did not have courage to speak up.

In actuality, the company was an interdimensional research company. Their games were efficient and realistic and so well-detailed because what was gameplay to others was reality to them.

It hired only like-minded, or, well, like-experienced workers. Those who believed in the unbelievable, and actually tried to unveil the mystery.

The simple reason why each of their game had a mirror world lore was because the developers and officials all knew its existence in reality.

They worked tirelessly day and night to uncover the truth. They all got something from, or lost something to, the mirror world. It was not just a theory. They had solid evidence.

Yet, each had interacted with the mirror dimension only once. Never again. Which is why they worked relentlessly to find its origin, its past, its present, its future, its existence, the reason of its existence.

You know, all just because humans are so incredibly arrogant and intrusive.

He shook aside his thoughts. He seemed to suddenly ponder things that made no sense.

Clearing his head, he sank down onto the sofa next to his father.

He couldn’t greet him, because his father seemed to be on an important call. However, they both did nod at each other.

Just then, his mother strolled into the room with a cup of coffee and sat down across them on a loveseat.

“Good morning, Persephone”, his father spoke, taking the time to greet his wife, before returning to his call.

“Morning, Hades. Morning, my dear sweet son.”

“Mother. Why are you always teasing me?”

She let out a rich sounding laugh. “What, should I go tease other people’s son?”

“How’s your latest piece going on?”

His mother was a renowned artist, known for her thought-provoking works and interesting views and insights into human psyche.

She swirled the spoon in her cup slowly, thinking something. “Hmm… it’s half finished. But I’m confused about the other half.”

Just then, his father got done with the call. He smirked and teased his wife. “You? Confused with something? That’s very new.”

She just smiled, unprovoked by his harmless taunt. “Honey, who was it?”

She was referring to the phone call, no doubt.

Hades sighed, as if it physically hurt him to speak. But when he opened his mouth, he stared at their son. At which Persephone did, too.

The son felt awkward. A thirty-year-old man, and he couldn’t be included in the conversation between his parents. But he was not a stubborn child, he was an obedient one. He understood his parents. He did.

Which is why he stood up without his parents needing to say anything, and headed towards the front door, saying, “I’m taking the car out of the garage. We’ll leave as soon as you come outside, father.”

He shut the door behind him and exhaled loudly.

He never understood why he couldn’t be included in a conversation that was related to him. He was neither naive nor a fool. He knew what his parents talked about whenever they did so behind his back.

It had been that way for fifteen years. At first, he could understand the reason. He was young, he was new, he wouldn’t understand. But now, he had enough of maturity and experience to at least listen to the facts and happenings, even if they didn’t let him participate.

He already knew that those conversations tended to last at least an hour, so he decided to take the car out for a stroll.

He didn’t know where he was headed, only that he needed to escape the vast expanse of his mansion and its surrounding ground, all that belonged to them.

While driving, he passed by the park he often took Biyoo on a walk to. It was there that he had met those eccentric kids the previous day.

Today, however, when he had taken Biyoo on a walk, he had thankfully not met them. He did not want to be labelled a child predator or an attempting kidnapper.

He kept driving until he came upon a shop.

‘uWu Book/Pet Cafe’

While the name of the cafe gave him irreversible cringe and The Icks™, the prospect of having some breakfast while reading (which was his favourite job in the world to do) and playing with cute animals (which was his other favourite job in the world to do) won him over. Besides, it would also help to distract him from useless worries, so he quickly parked his car in a nearby parking and entered the shop.

He firstly went to order something for him. That something being a cold coffee and a pastry. He just had a very sweet tooth.

Then he decided to head towards the kittens. As soon as he settled near the little squishy babies, his attention was completely fixed on them.

Therefore he did not hear the ruckus being caused by a group of mostly children howling and cheering as they entered the cafe, a somewhat adult sighing and wondering why he even bought them there.

He therefore did not hear the squeal and excited whispers of three kids giggling among themselves when they noticed and recognised him, immediately walking towards his unarmed self.

He did not hear their agitated guardian for the trip call out for them, trying to prevent them from moving towards a random stranger.

He only realised everything when he heard three kids right next to his ear scream, “Mr. Mirror?!”

He got startled and his heart nearly jumped out of his throat. Even the poor kitten scampered back into its cardboard box and yowled at the offenders.

He looked at them and then immediately hid his face by his hand. But what good was it when he was already ambushed?

“The G.Y.M Detective Agency has surrounded you from three sides! And the fourth side is a wall! And obviously you can’t break the fourth wall-”

“Shut up Gilyoung ! I honestly don’t get what you say at times!”

“Well maybe you’re just stupid. How about that?!”

“Well maybe you’re just weird. How about THAT?!”

He attempted to bring a semblance of control. By asking, “Are you guys stalking me?”

The three of them gasped so exaggeratedly that he felt it was, in fact, true. Yet they said, “We wouldn’t do something so immoral! We just happened to meet you by coincidence! And it’s good we did, because we have some people to acquaint you with!”

As if his (unwanted) acquaintance with these kids wasn’t enough.

Just then, he noticed three more people arrive behind the kids.

Two of them were clearly teenagers, a girl with a messy ponytail and wide eyes, and a boy with toussled curls and similar wide eyes.

The third person was tall.

He was about a head taller, and he clearly had a well-built physique, if the outline of his turtleneck was anything to go by. His hands were crossed over his chest, accentuating the pectoral muscles- what?

His face was clearly sculpted by an architect who had dedicated his life to art, or he was God’s favourite being. No other explanation could be there for the way his black wavy hair fell onto his fox-like eyes, the way his dark brown eyes shone as the sunrays coming in through the skylight fell onto them, the way his jawline looked as if it was sketched with precision unknown to mankind, the way his whole face structure somehow commanded attention.

He also looked younger, as if he was in his early twenties.

The first words that fell out of his mouth weren’t so attractive, however.

“Who the hell are you?”

The shorter man’s eyes widened comically, wondering what brought on such hostility. Then he realised something. Maybe he was the older brother the one girl was talking about.

He stood up with his hands in the air, and spoke with a sly smile. “Well, I don’t really know who I am. But all I know is I have no bad intentions. Actually, you should ask the kids who they think I am, and why they have come to me.”

The boy crossed his arms and clicked his tongue in disappointment. “Come on, don’t you remember us? We met you at the park yesterday? We brought Biyoo to you?”

The (supposedly) sister of the tall man said, “He’s the man I was talking about. The guy we were planning to look again for, today, but who you dissuaded us from meeting.”

Oh? Suddenly said man felt very grateful that the tall man had intervened.

She continued speaking, “Mr. Mirror, this is my elder brother, Yoo Junghyeok.”

What a fitting name.

“And oppa, this is… actually, who are you?”

He sighed. He supposed he would have to introduce himself. Otherwise those kids just won’t leave him alone.

“I’m Kim Dokja , and it’s not very pleasant to meet you.”

He extended a hand nevertheless, which was immediately gripped by a strong hand.

He quickly pulled his hand away before his fingers could be crushed by the grip.

Dokja smiled and said, “Listen kid, I really don’t know why your sister and her two friends talked to me so long yesterday even though I told them to go away, and I also don’t know why they came to me today as soon as they recognised me. All I know is that I’m an unwilling participant in a cruel joke.”

The teenage girl at the side said, “Dramatic much?”

Junghyeok didn’t answer and just rolled his eyes. He turned towards his sister.

“There, I have seen him now. Jihye and Namwoon have, too. Then let’s go on our merry way, and actually do what we came here to do?”

She laughed. “Stupid, we haven’t introduced ourselves yet.” She turned towards Dokja with the intention to introduce herself, and Junghyeok moved closer. Dokja even felt that Junghyeok unsheathed a metaphorical sword.

“Nice to meet you, ahjussi. I am Yoo Mia, chief executive officer of G.Y.M Detective Agency.”

“Mia, it was not decided. You can’t just make yourself the CEO as you wish. Anyways, I am Gilyoung , and I am a very important and irreplaceable part of G.Y.M.D.A. I’m one of the founders, after all.”

“We are the only founders and members, Gilyoung . Nice to meet you, I am Yoosung . She is Lee Jihye, and he is Kim Namwoon.”

Dokja just nodded. He wasn’t sure what to do with the information.

Junghyeok sighed. “If you three are done, can we get back to ordering -”

“Ahjussi!” Jihye spoke up.

Dokja’s eye twitched. “Yes?”, he asked with a forced smile.

“Do you have a mirror tattooed onto your wrist?”

He heaved a deep sigh. Then turned to look at the three kids. “I see you have spread the news to everyone.”

He felt satisfied when he saw that the weight of his gaze made them feel slightly guilty.

Gilyoung said, “Not everyone. Just them.”

He pinched his nose and thought, ‘Stay calm. Stay calm.’

Then he looked at his watch, and suddenly thanked every God that existed that only about fifteen minutes were probably left for his parents’ conversation to end.

He glanced at them impatiently and said, “Unlike you idle kids, I have work to do. Therefore, I need to run.”

He felt that he must annoy them before he left, so he patted each kid’s head, and at the end, ruffled Junghyeok’s hair, who got pretty worked up by it, but Dokja was already at the door before he could retaliate.

Just as he was about to leave, however, a waiter handed him his cold coffee and pastry, and he thanked him and quickly paid and quickly took a leave.

As soon as he brought his car onto his driveway, the front door just opened and his father stepped out, not before giving his mother a kiss on the cheek.

When he got into the car, they quickly left.

Throughout the whole car ride, Dokja remained curious about what his parents had talked, but could not muster courage to ask his father about something they had deemed him unfit to hear. Even though he was the successor and would become the CEO as soon as the initiation ceremony would take place, which was to happen in a few months.

He felt pathetic that he lacked courage to even confront his parents. The same parents who loved him unconditionally and provided him everything, except the truths.

He sometimes wished for the courage of the original him.

Chapter Text

“Apparently, the summon or even interaction happens when the desire to exchange or replace occurs, and even an option is given…”

“If I may?” Kim Dokja raised his hand.

They were currently in a council meeting, which was headed by his father Hades. Undeterred by the scrutinizing stare his father gave him, he stood up when the others gestured him to speak his opinion.

“In my case… it was deemed worthy to change without giving an option. The situation was quite dire, and they felt he’d be better away from all of us. In fact, he had somehow created a partial rift all by himself one day, although unintentionally, which is why the portal was even stronger.”

Hades said, “Son, that all happened before your knowledge. How do you know this?”

Dokja took a deep breath and said, “I… I found out, by reading the… records in the diary you had maintained.”

He nearly flinched at his father’s sharp exhale. Being a thirty-year-old man didn’t mean he didn’t feel scared of his father. Either way, all his father said was just, “We’ll talk about this at home. Sit down.”

But he had something more to say. Something important. Therefore, he began, “I can feel that…”

“Dokja”, his father warned, telling him to put a hold to his unnecessary words.

When Dokja opened his mouth to speak, his father stared at him as if he was mentally ill.

“Sit down! Don’t say anything else!”

But of course, he kept talking.

“I can feel that he’s developing a very strong urge to come back.”

This caused gasps and ripples of shock to pass through the council members, but he didn’t stop his words. “And the second summon might happen soon, and if it does… I will disappear. For good.”

Only silence stretched after the words left his mouth. Even Hades’ mouth was gaping.

“Son… How can you… feel that?”

He raised his wrist to everyone, showcasing the mirror. “This link. I know the signs. I had felt it the first time, except I was on the wrong side back then. Now I am on the correct side, and I feel it again. I can’t estimate how soon is too soon, but…”

“And how can we save you?”

He stayed silent for a few seconds. Then said, “If you wish to save me… we must ambush him by entering his world, before he does ours. Of course, there are more things to be done, but from the research our company has done… I joined the dots and came to this conclusion.”

Everyone stared at him. It was something obvious that he was very smart.

One woman spoke up, “Is it even possible? Entering the mirror dimension?”

Dokja held her stare. “If it’s possible from the other way round, why not?”

Another person said, “But how do we do that? Have you figured it out yet?”

He sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. “No. I haven’t. But… I’m working on it. I also don’t want to go. So, I’ll do my best.”

Hades noticed Dokja was looking incredibly tired. Therefore, he said, “The meeting’s dismissed for today. If anyone gains any progress, call for another one. You may all leave. Dokja, you stay.”

Dokja watched as everyone else slid out of the door. He then sat on the chair opposite to his father.

“Father, I apologize for having rea-”

“When did you read it?”

“… 10 years ago.”

His father sighed. “I suppose… I couldn’t have kept it a secret from you all this time. After all, you already knew the circumstances. You definitely would have countless questions in mind. Just… why did you never ask?”

Dokja felt weird. He now wondered. Really, why had he never asked? His parents were very loving, and they definitely weren’t the type to harm their child. Then why? Truth be told, it never occurred to him that he would get an answer if he asked. He thought there must have been a good reason they never talked in front of him. Perhaps it was also due to past experiences, where asking equalled being punished. Perhaps it was because he wanted to convince his parents he was an obedient child, not a stubborn one.

He did not know what to answer. So, he said what he had always felt. “I just wanted that you two like me. Always.”

Hades felt speechless. It was understandable, however. Dokja’s reason for never asking stemmed from everything he had read in the diary.

When he was about to answer or at least say something, Dokja felt too exhausted of the sudden vulnerability. Therefore, he said, “I’m sorry, father. I must go. I have things to figure out.”

And he left the meeting room without another word.

His decisive and brisk steps carried him to the storeroom, which contained all the files of the game logs and the research papers.

He quickly sifted his eyes through the shelves efficiently, a skill he had thanks to reading a lot, and landed on the file he was looking for.

He pulled out ‘Three Ways to Dive into a Mirror World- ver. 18.64’.

He skimmed every page and kept flipping on, until his eyes landed onto something important.

“It is widely believed that breaking a mirror brings seven years of bad luck, as it not only shows the physical appearance of a human, but is a linkage to the human soul.

The truth is that if a mirror is broken and there is a desire of going beyond the boundary of glass, if there is a desire of achieving something in exchange for something of equal value for the other side, the dimension is opened. However, dimension hopping, especially mirroring based, can only be achieved by the being of the other side, or at least assisted by them. A portal can only be opened when the reflection also wishes to escape.

Usually, the dimension opens only once for a certain person and their blood relatives. However, if the dimension is to be opened again? How should that be achieved?

This is not a foolproof way, this is just a theory. I have not tested this, and I am sure there are more ways, but I can only think of this one (besides the ealier two, which were already tested and failed).

However, one thing is for sure: One day, you who are reading this, will succeed in opening the dimension.

Observation- When the person/equivalents on both sides wish(es) to exit, the dimension is opened. A choice is given to each: Stay where they are, or go as they wish. Once the choice is made, it cannot be reversed. Also, it has been observed that if a being of The dimension doesn’t cross over first or at all, the being on this side can never go to the other side. There hasn’t been any case of a dimension reappearing, but that’s probably because after its first occurrence, the desire to shift again has never appeared to anyone. Even those who have lost something have gained something besides that, because the portal never opens if there’s only net loss for any of the sides.

Inference- Does that mean, if somehow, the equivalents get dissatisfied and again want to shift? Will the dimension be opened again? Assuming that the (originally) replication is on the opposite side of The dimension, if the portal is again opened, they must step in first. In such a case, entering into the mirror world is possible. And with their assistance, and if the portal is kept open for long enough, others who are not replications may also enter the portal. The only precaution that needs to be taken is that the original being, who is now a replication and in The dimension, must not step outside. If they do, the dimension will be sealed again. It is not quite sure how many times the dimension can be opened by one person and their family, but it is best to assume it is not many times.

Therefore, if this method succeeds, it is imperative that the purpose for having opened the dimension once more is fulfilled in one chance.

Once again: For this method to succeed, somehow, both equivalents must feel the desire to shift. It must be a strong desire.”

This was something he had once had a fleeting thought about, but he hadn’t put more consideration into it because it had seemed far-fetched to him.

However, if his friend and writer with a genius brain (he’d rather die before telling her that) thought the same thing and had even penned it down, there must be some semblance of reasoning to it.

He put the file back from where he took it, and now began rummaging the drawers. After having opened and closed about eight drawers, he came across what he was looking for. A VR headset.

He took it and placed it on his eyes.

When he opened his eyes again, a vast red landscape stretched out in front of him. For miles, he could see only silver skyscrapers, curved or straight shaped. The night sky was blue in colour, and distant nebulae of glittering stars could be seen.

He turned his head around to take in his immediate surroundings.

Below his feet was metal. Nothing much more than that, so he decided to walk ahead to figure things out.

Before he could take a step, however, a large mirror materialized itself in front of him. He stared back at a silhouette. A reflection, without any face, hair or body. Just darkness. A reflection of the body-less player.

A dialog box appeared.

|_ Convince your reflection. _|

This was a mission he had tried to take on many times before. Each time, he was unsuccessful. Thus, this time he would try again.

Dokja was just about to speak, when suddenly the worldview shifted, and all he could see was that he was back in the storeroom of his office building.

The truth was, his headset had been violently yanked off by his best friend, a very famous author, Han Sooyoung.

“Dokja-ssi, you need to take a break”, Yoo Sangah had also come. She was one of the first scriptwriters to have joined the company, and she was currently Sooyoung’s fiancee as well.

Both of them knew about the truth of the mirror world. In the first place, Sangah’s mother was one of the friends of Dokja’s parents, and had helped in establishing the company. And Han Sooyoung had befriended Dokja in college, blissfully unaware of everything, until one day, she accidentally found out one thing, which led to another, and soon she was in on the secret. In fact, she was active in the research and participated in writing for the company when she wasn’t writing her own novels.

Although it bothered Han Sooyoung that she couldn’t see the mirror on Dokja’s wrist that some others (all the company members including Sangah) could see, that didn’t stop from trying her best to find the truth behind it all.

“You stupid squid!” she rebuked Dokja. “Your hairs will become white very soon, if you are so stressed all of the time. Literally, rest for some time, will you? And what I don’t understand is, what has happened recently? For quite some time now, you are very actively participating in finding the things. Usually, you tended to stay away because of your parents-”

“Sooyoung. He wants to come back.”

That shut her up. She and Sangah were mirroring each other’s expressions of shock and concern at his words.

He continued, “We don’t have much time. Also, if he comes back, this time, he wouldn’t want to leave. He’s full of vengeance. If the dimension opens again, I don’t think it’ll open for a third time after that.”

After a few seconds of quiet, Sangah said, “Isn’t it necessary that the replication must step in first? You have the authority here. If you don’t g-”

“No. After staying there for as much time as I had originally stayed there from the time of birth, I’m sure he has also become a replication. He also will have the same authority. And if he comes and I don’t go, either he will make me…”

“Or?”

“… Or he’ll kill me.”

Sooyoung and Sangah exchanged worried glances. Sooyoung asked slowly, “And what do you plan to do?”

“… Get to him first and finish him before he can finish me.”

“Dokja, that’s… that’s dangerous. For now, he’s your reflection. There has never been a case of a reflection dying unless the person is also dead. If you end him, we don’t know what will happen to you. What if you end up missing? Disappear? Maybe even die? This is a very risky measure to take.”

“Which is why I’m doing my best to look into everything”, he replied tensely.

“Dokja-ssi, have you even planned how to make him desire to shift?”

“… I’ll figure that out as well.”

“… Stupid Kim Dokja. Why do you always think you are some lone messiah who doesn’t deserve anyone’s help?”

He was taken aback. “No, Sooyoung, you’ve got it wrong. I just… I don’t want to bother anyone, that’s it. I don’t think anyone wants to be involved with my complicated existence and- owh!”

Han Sooyoung had pushed him to the floor and was looming over him threateningly. “Why do you always feel you are the one to blame? Why are you always so infuriatingly selfless? You think no one wants to be involved with your ‘complicated existence’? Well newsflash, you were simply living your own life until you finally wished for something of your own and happened to change. Your complicated existence wasn’t due to you alone. There are people responsible for it, and if they wouldn’t have made that choice, your existence would be as simple as possible. So really, there’s no one here who’s bothered by your existence, because they made that choice knowing everything full well, and everyone understands what’s the matter. You don’t have to believe you are the only one who knows. And if you think you do, then tell us as well. We are trustworthy and helpful. But of course, a bastard like you wouldn’t believe it, right? Listen Kim Dokja. You are important, and if you cause any of us harm by doing anything reckless to yourself, you won’t meet a person worse than Han Sooyoung. Mark my words.”

With those words, she stormed out of the room.

Sangah gave Dokja on the floor a pitying look, but said, “I agree with Sooyoung. Dokja-ssi, you must realize your worth in many people’s lives. Your life is not a plaything you can throw away as you wish. You think our salvation is saving the world? Well, maybe it is. But you are our world, and we wish to save you. Please think before making decisions and speaking anything.”

She also left, following after the flaming Han Sooyoung.

Dokja just sighed as he got up from the floor, wiping the back of his pants. He felt bad that he made his best friend angry, and he felt guilty after hearing everything his two friends told him.

He decided taking a break wasn’t too bad, after all.

********************

He headed to the break room of the company, deciding to have something to eat, while he was at it.

As he was staring at the options on the menu, he heard two young employees giggling and chatting among themselves.

“Ahhhh! Junghyeok-ssi is so good-looking! And he looks so handsome when he’s focused on playing!”

“And the fact that he’s playing our company’s game?!”

Those were two employees who had yet not fully gotten into the reality of the company despite knowing everything, and were getting delighted over trivial things as gamers playing their games.

The name, however, had Dokja stop for a moment and think. He had heard it somewhere. Very recently, in fact. Perhaps within a day or two. He just couldn’t place where he had heard it.

When he got his sandwiches and decided to eat while in his office, he caught a glimpse of the two employees’ phones.

He did a double take.

It was Yoo Junghyeok, the older brother of Yoo Mia. He had met them yesterday in the cafe.

He was a gamer? And a popular one, too, if the hyped up live comments and the real time comments of the employees were anything to go by.

As he sat down in his office, he supposed it wouldn’t hurt to watch Yoo Junghyeok’s livestream. Especially because he was playing the latest game launched by M1RR0RED INC., and Kim Dokja often watched gamers play the company’s games, as it sometimes provided him profound insights or some way he might have overlooked.

***********************

Yoo Junghyeok sat in front of the screen, glaring at the ‘loading’ sign.

He was playing ‘Monarch of the World’, a new game launched by the company which had made most of his favourite games. He loved the games of M1RR0RED INC., simply because the graphics and execution was flawless, and the plotlines were crystal clear to follow, and interesting. Also, there were so many easter eggs and things were interconnected really well.

Generally, he was the type of person to dislike indirect or lengthy things, but this company knew how to do games right. They never bored him, nor did they ever feel too much for him.

As the ‘Loading’ sign was replaced by a cutscene, showcasing a vast pond stretched out in front of the player, he was about to skip it. Would have, if the following comment had not shown up:

KimDoDo
Don’t skip the cutscenes, kid. They’re important to the storyline.

Junghyeok narrowed his eyes. Just who was this person who was calling him a ‘kid’?

He suddenly remembered a person from the previous day. A very annoying person, at that.

He shook away the thoughts about him and stared at the comment again. Maybe someone older than him? Or someone was messing with him? The username was… something.

Kim DoDo. Sounded almost like ‘Kim Dok-’

He stopped his train of thought. He couldn’t get so worked up over that man. He couldn’t think about him at every trivial thing. As it was, his face had decided to be plastered onto Junghyeok’s eyes since the previous day, haunting him all the time and refusing to leave his mind.

In fact, he had woken up startled in the morning because he had dreamt of that man. Hugging him very intimately. Like a lover would. He had been flustered at first, and then irritated for the rest of the day, till now.

The username and calling him a ‘kid’ was just a coincidence. Nothing worthwhile to think about.

He watched on in annoyance the cutscene, but his frown was replaced by slight astonishment when he heard the voice of the narrator.

“- And as he moves on, he comes across every-”

The velvety, deep and exhausted voice felt very familiar to him.

He didn’t know if he was hallucinating, but the voice matched the same as that man- that Kim Dokja’s voice. He felt heat rise to his cheeks and neck, and he immediately skipped the cutscene. He ignored the comment from Kim DoDo, about how he was really an impatient kid.

A box appeared in front of him, asking him to type in a modifier with which his character was to be referred. In the M1RR0RED multiverse, a modifier was any being’s power name which was used formally and to address their position.

‘Supreme King’ was what he typed in.

Kim DoDo
Corny-as-hell name.

Yoo Junghyeok was sure he didn’t reconsider his name because of the comment.

He definitely didn’t change it and type ‘Ruler of Amusement’ because Kim DoDo, who may or may not be Kim Dokja, taunted him.

Kim DoDo
… Slightly better.

Yoo Junghyeok played the rest of the game without any hitch, enjoying it a lot. Sure, Kim DoDo had left a lot of annoying comments, but at least they had entertained him. Many a time, he felt himself almost smiling. And that caused a ruckus to go off among his fans, who were used to his expressionless livestreams.

But did he care? No.

Chapter Text

Yoo Junghyeok was out for grocery shopping.

He was wearing a black face mask, a black baseball cap, black shades and overall black. One would think he’s Batman quicker than they’d recognise him to be Junghyeok.

And that was exactly what he wanted.

You see, he had often had to deal with his fair share of sasaengs (and it was weird if he had sasaengs as a gamer, although sasaengs were weird even in general), and he was incredibly tired after having cleaned every corner of his house all by himself, having arranged the kitchen appliances, preparing for the food, and he didn’t even want to think about how he had to go home and cook for about a dozen people.

He was just really tired to have to deal with sasaengs, on top of all the work he did.

The thing was, he and his friends often had gatherings at each other’s places, so that they could always keep in touch. That day, it was to be held in his house.

His other friends were in relationships and lived together, so they helped each other out. He, however, was pitifully alone (even though people were ready to throw themselves at him).

He also happened to be the youngest among his friends, AND he had five chaotic children to look after, who basically owned his house and always stayed as if they paid rent.

Either way, he was glad to be hosting the gathering. He wouldn’t be caught dead admitting it, but since he had trouble trusting and befriending people, those who he did, he cherished them a lot and clung to them (emotionally, but also secretly).

He was in the vegetable section, analysing, critiquing and comparing potatoes, when he felt his spidey senses tingling.

Not literally, he was neither a spider nor Spider-Man. Rather, his sixth sense was telling him something was wrong.

Either that, or one of his five senses, his ears, they gave him an early warning sign when he heard a silky voice come from round the corner.

Hearing that voice gave him war flashbacks, and really, all he wanted was to drop everything and bolt.

Just, the ambusher was quicker than him.

He quickly turned his head to the opposite direction as green and gold came into view, hoping against hope that the blonde haired person didn’t notice him.

Then he thought that realistically, his complete face was hidden. Thus, there was no way in hell that lunatic would recognise him. So, he turned to walk away.

But poor Yoo Junghyeok. He underestimated the lunacy of the lunatic.

“Yah, is it you, Yoo Junghyeok?!”

And really, it was his fault he didn’t barrel the heck out of there, rather, answering the question with a “Who’s that?”.

He was stopped from walking away by a vice-like grip on his shoulder, and as he turned towards the assailant (was forced to turn, rather), he was met with a crazed grin.

“AHAHAHAHA!”

Junghyeok flinched at the ruckus the maniac was creating, and prayed to every supreme power (despite being atheist) that no one would hear the laughter and come running to the alley, thinking a murder had been committed.

“You are still as funny as ever, Junghyeok-ah! Really, don’t think I wouldn’t recognise those broad shoulders anywhere! And if I had been slightly confused at first, your voice made it clear, who you are. I could recognise your voice even while sleeping!”

“That’s… not as flattering as you think it is, but ok”, Junghyeok grimaced as the person looped their arm around his shoulders. “Really, Nirvana… let me go, I am busy.”

It was Nirvana, Junghyeok’s (probably) crazy ex. If Junghyeok were to make a list of all things he regrets in life, the one at the top would be ‘Dating Nirvana’.

And although he had told this to them multiple times, they felt flattered and honoured that he ‘felt so highly and strongly’ of them. Really, drives the point home.

“Listen, Nirvana… please, I’m being… patient right now, although I can never stay that long enough with you. I have to buy vegetables and go home quickly, Mia is waiting for -”

“Oh! HOW is little Mia-yah?!”

Another thing that annoyed Junghyeok was Nirvana’s overuse of Korean honorifics, despite themself not being one.

“She’s very good, thanks to you having left our life. Similarly, leave me right away-”

“You are shopping for vegetables?! Let’s do it together. It’ll seem like the good old days, like we are a couple, doing meager domestic things. How cute and romantic it would be!”

Junghyeok mentally punched himself in the face, and wished he could do it in real life as well, if only it hadn’t been his dignity holding him back.

Nirvana began giggling creepily, a giggle which was probably meant to sound cute, but ended up sounding like the high-pitched echoing giggles of vengeful dead babies in horror movies.

Junghyeok knew that if he told Nirvana that, they’d somehow find a compliment in that as well and blush.

Probably something like, ‘My giggles sound like echoes to you? That means I am all that’s in your mind’.

…. Perhaps something had gone wrong with himself as well, beginning to think logicless logic like Nirvana.

Worried for his sanity and dignity, Junghyeok pulled himself away from Nirvana’s strong grip, and took back a number of steps.

“Unless you want a restraining order placed on you, stay away from me.”

Nirvana pouted, like a sad child would, but their pout sent shivers down his spine.

He knew they could do anything. He had never forgotten that one time he was a novice gamer and someone had mocked him, and Nirvana had hacked that person’s account, leaked their phone number, home address, doxxed them and sent death threats. AND somehow got away with it.

In fact, they had wanted to do more, but stopped at the behest of Junghyeok.

It had been the first time Junghyeok had begun reconsidering their relationship.

So now, he understood what facial expressions on Nirvana meant what.

Nirvana said in a low voice, with head held low, “… Yoo Junghyeok… give me one good reason why we can’t be one again.”

One good reason? Oh, Junghyeok had a notebook worth of good reasons. It was just that Nirvana would understand none of them.

And it was not this once that he came across Nirvana. No, somehow, Nirvana ran into him so many times he thought they were stalking him.

Thus, if he had to give a reason, it better be one that would actually convince Nirvana and hopefully stop them from coming onto him.

Thus, without thinking, he said, “I am already dating someone.”

Junghyeok could feel metaphorical murderous aura rise around Nirvana.

They raised their head and stared at him with an eerie grin. “Oh yeah? Where’s your boyfriend? Or girlfriend? Or whatever the hell they are? Why are they not with you?”

“Because not everyone is crazy like you, and normal people give space to their significant other. People who are dating don’t go around following each other all day.”

Nirvana’s smirk widened. “Oh yeah? Then you must have a picture of your completely normal significant other? Show me.”

Junghyeok was taken aback, but didn’t let his expression waver as he said, “Why should I show YOU, my EX, the picture of my current boyfriend?!”

Nirvana let out a fake coy giggle. “Does your new boyfriend know you are talking to your ex? I wonder how he would feel about that?”

Junghyeok didn’t even have any boyfriend, yet felt distressed and annoyed by the provocation. Really, Nirvana knew how to get on his nerves.

Then something caused him to turn his head to the side, something he wasn’t quite sure of, but he saw someone he somewhat knew, and a small glimmer of hope lit up in his chest.

Really, what he was about to do was absolutely nuts. But for him, it was also absolutely necessary.

He moved towards the person with a shopping cart, who was peacefully staring at mundane everyday items, blissfully unaware of the storm raging towards him.

***********

Kim Dokja was browsing through toy balls for Biyoo, keeping in mind her favourite colour, the correct texture of the balls, and the durability. Biyoo loved to tear the balls into atoms.

Just as he had selected a bouncy plastic red-coloured ball and was about to move to the cash counter, a random person looped their arm with his left one.

Except, one look at the person made him realise he wasn’t some random person.

Well, technically he was, but at least they were acquaintances now.

Even though his face was covered, some people can just be very easily recognised.

What was quite shocking to Kim Dokja, however, was that Yoo Junghyeok, the same person who was so hostile to him and thought he meant harm, was now clinging to his arm like his life depended on it.

And maybe it did, if the pleading stare he gave him after removing his shades and face mask was any indication. He looked at him with a gaze which looked like it meant ‘Please play along’.

Which is when he realised they were not alone.

A very androgynous and beautiful looking person stood in front of them, arms crossed over their chest and face sulking.

Junghyeok looked at Dokja and said, “Jagi, they are bothering me. You know they’re my ex, right? But they just won’t leave me alone. When I told them that I’m already dating someone, they asked me to show them my boyfriend’s picture. Why should I show them your picture?”

Oh. Kim Dokja now understood Junghyeok’s situation. Really, people shouldn’t date such people that they have to end up asking random people to be their pretend play boyfriends.

If Dokja hadn’t been here, what would have Junghyeok done?

But since he was, in fact, there, it was his duty to help someone who had deemed him safe enough to ask for help.

So, he removed his arm from Junghyeok’s arm, and for one second, Junghyeok’s expression fell and Nirvana grinned widely. The very next second, however, he wrapped his arm firmly around Junghyeok’s waist, and this time, he radiated smugness, while Nirvana looked constipated.

“What’s your name?” Dokja asked Nirvana, his voice that kind of stern which thirty years of living gave him.

Nirvana scoffed. “Are you really his boyfriend, if you don’t even know his ex’s name?”

He was given a condescendingly sweet smile in return as Dokja said, “You see, my sweet boyfriend is too pretty that he has had a substantial number of exes and flings, and none of them was worth enough for him to tell me their names. You being one.”

He watched in satisfaction as Junghyeok bit his lip to hold back a smile and Nirvana’s eyes widened like saucers.

Nirvana felt offended, and said, “You dare-! You say that, so you must know how easy it would be for your boyfriend to replace you as well! You must be temporary, too!”

Dokja let out a throaty laugh. “Well you see, my Hyukie just hadn’t found anyone dependable enough before me. Now I’m here to take care of him, and we are doing as well as possible.”

It was probably then that Nirvana took note of Dokja’s general facial appearance and the few white hairs on his head.

Nirvana laughed. “Junghyeok-ah, your taste has changed, I see. You are now with older men.”

Junghyeok involuntarily flushed and said, “It shouldn’t matter to you what my preferences are now. We have no relation with each other-”

Nirvana cried scandalized, “Why does your boyfriend have so many mirrors in his shopping cart?!”

That was when Junghyeok noticed Dokja’s shopping cart. Above all regular items, indeed only mirrors lay. Mirrors of all shapes and sizes, large and small, thick and thin, short and long, simple and intricate.

There were, at the very least, twenty mirrors.

Junghyeok really didn’t understand Dokja’s obsession with mirrors. A mirror tattoo (if what the kids said was true) and now buying so many mirrors? Was he some witch conducting rituals or something? Was Bloody Mary his lover and he needed so many mirrors to always summon her and keep her close?

When Junghyeok became speechless, Dokja answered in his stead. “Seeing as Hyukie dated you, and is also dating me, he’s just into freaks.”

Nirvana wasn’t sure what to feel. He just repeated again, shocked, “Seriously, why do you need so many mirrors…?”

“Ever heard of katoptronophilia?”

Dokja watched Nirvana’s cheeks gain a rosy colour, while Junghyeok just stared at both of them in confusion. Clearly, Nirvana was really a freak.

Dokja yawned and said, “Now, if you’d excuse us, we have other things to do. Jagiya, did you buy the groceries?”

Junghyeok was still confused, but answered nonetheless, “No, I was just doing that when…”

“Okay, put on your shades and mask. We don’t want you to run into more psychos. Let’s go.”

And Nirvana just watched in confusion, humiliation, offense and abashment as the two walked away, bodies glued to each other, the cart full of mirrors trailing behind them.

***********

They had moved a safe distance away and entered a different alley, which contained condiments, utensils, spices and snacks, among other things.

Dokja let go of Junghyeok’s waist and said, “You are just like those smaller kids. I don’t know what it is with all of you kids, but I really don’t appreciate you all jumping onto me the moment you see me.”

Junghyeok’s cheeks blazed red. “Trust me, I would have avoided you like the plague if Nirvana hadn’t been bothering me.”

“Ouch! I helped you and I don’t get gratitude in return, rather, I get told that I’m as abhorrent as the plague.”

Junghyeok clicked his tongue. “Stop with the dramatics. … Thank you. For understanding and helping me. But… what does ‘kototronopphilia’ or whatever the hell you said even mean?!”

Dokja sheepishly cleared his throat. “You’d be better off not knowing. If you have nothing else to say or do, I have to get back home.”

As he was about to walk away, Junghyeok said, “I really don’t get your obsession with mirrors.”

Dokja didn’t turn towards him as he answered, “You don’t have to get anything about me. We are not friends, we are just… strangers. Strangers who happen to have met twice because the universe has decided to play a grand joke. But it’s just a coincidence, and it won’t happen again. Focus on your life, and stay away from people like Nirvana.”

With that, he walked away, his cart trailing ahead of him as he pushed it forward.

Leaving Junghyeok curious about two things.

Junghyeok became incredibly curious and interested in knowing about this mysterious man, even though he wouldn’t admit it to himself.

He also became curious of the word Dokja had used.

A quick Google search about ‘kototronopphilia’ wouldn’t hurt him, is what he thought, as he typed it into the search bar.

‘These are results for katoptronophilia
Search instead for kototronopphilia

Katoptronophilia [15] (from the Greek katoptron, mirror + philia, love) is the sexual attraction towards the observation of one’s image in the mirror during sexual activities.’

He almost threw his phone into a distant aisle, as he had the sudden urge to scream his throat hoarse. He just hoped that his black accessories hid his redness.

***********

His house was lively right now.

The kids were bothering Lee Hyunsung to play hide and seek with them, and bless his sweet and good heart, although he was tired, he played nonetheless.

Jung Heewon had brought an exquisite wine glass set along with some expensive wine that she had received from her bar as a gift for her efficient service. She had also brought cold drinks and paper cups for the kids (Jihye and Namwoon tried their best to convince the adults that they were adults and could drink wine, but were categorised as 'kids' nonetheless). Thus, she was in charge of the drinks.

Lee Seolhwa and Aileen were helping Junghyeok set up the table and serve the dishes he had made.

Han Donghoon, his neighbour’s younger brother, had also joined in. He often played with the kids when they hung out at Junghyeok’s flat, but Junghyeok had never met Donghoon’s sister. She was pretty busy at all times, apparently. He had also not met Donghoon’s sister’s fiancee, who also lived with them.

Since Donghoon didn’t want to feel ungrateful, he brought Murim dumplings, something he knew Junghyeok loved. He was plating the dumplings.

Soon enough, they were all seated at the table, ready to dive into the delicious food.

After a few moments, laughter and chatter broke out, everyone being very chaotic and enjoying themselves to the fullest.

The topic soon came to ‘interesting things that have happened to you recently’.

After everyone spoke, the children started a spiel, firstly about the formation of G.Y.M Detective Agency, then about the mysterious man and his puppy that they met, then about how their plans to ambush him again were stopped by Junghyeok, then about how they met him again at the pet and book cafe, how they found out he was named ‘Kim Dokja’, and how they hadn’t met him after that.

The adults (except Junghyeok) had a good laugh about this and were amused. They were also intrigued by the mysterious ‘Kim Dokja’.

“Say, Yoo Junghyeok”, prodded Heewon. “What interesting things have happened to our host lately?”

Yoo Junghyeok patiently told them about how he had met Nirvana, AND how he received help from Kim Dokja (although he removed the part about mirrors).

Han Donghoon had been silent this whole time. When it had been his turn, he had said there was nothing interesting about his life.

However, Lee Seolhwa noticed the smirk on his face. So, she asked him, “Donghoon, what is it?”

“Turns out something interesting HAS happened to me recently. That interesting being, finding out that my friends and hyung are fascinated by my noona’s best friend.”