Chapter Text
Choi Yuseong once again blew a sigh of exasperation. He is having a hard time avoiding the overpowered protagonist in the novel. Yet, it seems that he piqued Dojin's attention. And now, constantly tries to contact him in any way possible.
'What could he possibly want?'
Yuseong constantly racked his mind and went to the point of overthinking. He has ideas, but nothing connects fully. Even though he knows of him through the passage he's read, the Dojin's mind could never be fully understood.
Kim Dojin. The protagonist. The center of this story. The one who would lead him to his demise. He is fated to die in his hands.
Yuseong knows how ill-fated their connection is. However, he refuses to accept it and tries to overthrow the trashy reputation of the character he transmigrated in. He began doing things that the real Choi Yuseong would least likely do.
'Live. Live well. Live differently.'
Yuseong was dead set on survival through strengthening himself. He has to avoid whatever path that the former Yuseong has taken. But it seems that it only led him closer to Kim Dojin.
His thoughts were interrupted when his phone buzzed. He briefly looked at the notifications that popped up. Two more texts from the protagonist asking to meet up.
"Huh. What now."
Kim Dojin is acting weird. Up until now, he has never seeked him. The former Yuseong was always the one to approach Dojin. Trying to share the limelight. Indulging in the attention of the people, taking pride in people's envy.
'That's not surprising. The Chois. One of the wealthiest. They always got money to throw.'
He squandered to his heart's content, failed to see the consequences of his foolish ways.
Yuseong placed the phone down and leaned back on his swivel chair. He closes his eyes and tries to sort his thoughts out again.
He had been internally panicking for days now. Dojin was persistent on contacting him. He began wondering where his plans had gone awry.
'The time to kill me is still far ahead in the novel.'
'Is he rushing?'
'Did I accidentally move a variable that led to this situation?'
"No, That's not it. I just began executing my plans." He muttered under his breath.
They were even trifle to begin with. Ones Kim Dojin should not be paying attention to. Strange enough, Dojin has been more caught up in him.
Dojin almost seemed...enraptured. Why he is, is another question that bugs him.
The pessimist Choi Yuseong's mind has wondered into the depth of miserable possibilities. No one could say his fear is unfounded. After all, the most likely reason of Dojin's interest to a minor villain like him is either; use him to enliven a plot of vengeance; or end him for good.
Neither of the two works in his favor. So the most probable and simple way, for a cowardly and weak villain like him... is avoidance.
'Does it help, though?'
He is certain that for every message he avoids equates to the shredding of Dojin's patience.
"It's not like I can do anything else." His thoughts are once again wearing him out.
Yuseong grimaced when he heard another buzz from his phone. There are better ways to handle this, are there not?
'Not that I can afford to do anything else at the moment.'
With the powers he has garnered at the moment, the most he could do is break one finger off of the protagonist. While Dojin...could probably end him using that one broken finger.
He shuddered at the thought of him bathing in his own blood just because he pissed the protagonist off.
There are too many things to handle aside from the pursuit of Kim Dojin. Yuseong has to strengthen himself, his loyal allies, Jin Doyun and Jin Yuri.
He has to find people, establish enough power to make himself untouchable, both in the financial and supernatural realm. He can't commit the same mistake the former Yuseong did.
He slipped out of his reverie when his phone started ringing.
Yuseong instinctively picked it up. His father makes random calls to the Choi siblings and he doesn't wanna make the mistake of making it ring more than once.
The man was beyond terrifying. He was an important figure in the novel, who displayed an air of authority and hostility every given time.
One of Yuseong's first internet search when he figured out he transmigrated was his 'father' in this novel. Whatever description the novel had... was an understatement. His aura was beyond mere description.
The old man's presence was looming, towering over everyone. You would never wanna meet his eyes. He could intimidate people with his shadow alone.
"Yes, f-" His breath hitched when he heard a different voice on the phone. A voice he knows too well. Yuseong didn't know if he should be relieved.
'This is why you should look at the screen before picking up.' Yuseong mentally scolded himself. Welp, this is inevitable, now. He has no choice but to respond.
"Kim Dojin." He tries to be as nonchalant as possible.
However, the mere mention of the protagonist's name leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. It's as if he could feel the blood pour on his lips, vividly imagining Dojin stabbing his guts. His cold hard stare, no remorse seen on his dark irises.
"You." The forced smile Yuseong managed to muster somehow trembled because of the tone of Kim Dojin's voice.
'He probably knows by now that I purposely avoided him and I picked up the phone thinking it was somebody else.'
Yuseong mentally prepared himself for more words to come. His mind turning erratic, trying to come up with an excuse.
"You don't seem busy."
'Huh? That's it?'
Dojin didn't sound anything like upset or offended. It sounded pretty monotone. That's weird.
...
"Oh. Not really. I'm just in my office , resti-" He wasn't able to finish his sentence. Dojin just cut the call.
On him. Just like that.
'What was the reason??!'
"Hah. Really. Why are protagonists arrogant pieces of s-"
His sentence was once again interrupted when someone abruptly opened the door.
He swore he heard the door hinge creak.
'Was it opened with brute strength...We might have it fixed.'
He shifted his gaze on the person responsible. It was... Kim Dojin.
Yuseong shot him a surprised look.
"When--How did you-"
"Choi Yuseong. Aren't you a bit too occupied these days?"