DPGR 169 (complete)

Whether the laundry was piling up or the dishes were left undone, none of it mattered anymore.

Thud.

As soon as the front door closed, Jiho’s back hit the wall.

Unable to hold back any longer, Dojin nibbled and licked Jiho’s ear, then showered kisses all over his small face.

“W-wait, hyung…!”

Jiho, trapped between the wall and the massive frame of Dojin, let out a strained groan and struggled.

Dojin bit Jiho’s cheek and frowned.

“Why…”

“This is, th-the entryway…”

“Then should we go to the bed?”

He placed the flowerpot on the shoe cabinet as he asked. The travel bag had long since fallen and was rolling across the floor.

Dojin moved as if he might scoop Jiho up and carry him to the bedroom right then and there, causing Jiho to panic and shake his head quickly.

“That’s not what I meant!”

Did he just recoil like he was completely against it? Dojin felt a scratch form on his heart.

“Then why…”

Could it be that Jiho didn’t like him doing this? Maybe during the months Dojin had been unconscious, Jiho had gone through some major changes.

Like his feelings toward Dojin had shifted.

Just imagining it made his chest tighten painfully and his mood plummet. The corners of his eyebrows drooped.

While Dojin sulked, Jiho pushed against his chest and created some distance, then mumbled awkwardly.

“I-I need to unpack…”

“…”

“And since you’re back, the house needs to be, uh, cleaned…”

It all sounded like weak excuses. Jiho seemed to know that too, bowing his head as if he was too ashamed to meet Dojin’s eyes.

Their tightly held hands fidgeted uneasily, showing Jiho’s discomfort. Dojin couldn’t hold it in anymore and asked,

“Is it, maybe… that you don’t like me anymore?”

“Huh?”

Jiho’s head, which had been lowered, snapped up. Dojin read disbelief in his expression.

Ah. So it’s not that.

The tension in Dojin’s shoulders loosened. He pressed his forehead against Jiho’s neck and rubbed it playfully, almost like he was being clingy.

‘So it’s not that you don’t like me.’

Relieved, a small bit of mischief crept in along with the lingering question. Then why did you push me away?

Dojin raised his head and stared at Jiho. Once again, Jiho avoided his gaze.

He looked just like a puppy caught doing something bad. Come to think of it, Jiho wasn’t avoiding Dojin, he was watching his reaction.

“Then why do you keep pushing me away?”

Dojin asked bluntly in the end. He couldn’t help feeling a little hurt.

As soon as he expressed that hurt openly, Jiho’s face flushed bright red and he buried himself in Dojin’s arms.

“I-I was afraid I’d get scolded…”

“…Scolded?”

Did he really do something wrong? Maybe caused trouble while I was gone?

A flood of thoughts rushed through Dojin’s head. He ran through a list of possible disasters Jiho might’ve caused.

Maybe he burned down the kitchen while trying to cook, or let the house become a total mess, or broke the appliances not knowing how to use them.

But even if Jiho had wrecked the entire apartment, there was no way Dojin would actually scold him.

“What is it? I won’t scold you, so just tell me, okay?”

Dojin softened his voice even more than usual, coaxing him gently. Jiho squirmed in his arms, then cautiously peeked up.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“You really won’t scold me?”

“I promise.”

Only after getting Dojin’s word several times did Jiho’s face finally ease. He took Dojin’s hand and brought it toward his own body.

“W-wait… Jiho?”

Dojin followed Jiho’s lead and let his hand move as guided. But when Jiho slipped his hand under his shirt, Dojin froze in surprise.

His hand met Jiho’s belly. At the warmth and softness of that skin, Dojin flinched for a moment. But soon, the texture he felt under his fingertips made his expression harden.

“What is this…?”

He pulled Jiho away and lifted his shirt. Under the dim hallway light, Jiho’s flat stomach and ribs were exposed.

He’d thought Jiho’s face looked a little worn out lately, but chalked it up to emotional stress.

His face still had its roundness, so Dojin hadn’t thought it was serious.

But he never imagined Jiho had been hiding such a skinny body under his clothes. Now that he thought about it, Jiho had been wearing long sleeves and loose clothing lately, even in the heat.

“…You’ve lost weight.”

“Y-you said you wouldn’t scold me…”

Jiho pouted. Dojin examined his face more closely.

Now he could tell, the roundness in Jiho’s face remained only because his baby fat hadn’t gone yet. Dojin reached out and pinched Jiho’s cheek.

“Mm…”

When he even bit his puffed-out lips like a goldfish, Jiho’s expression crumpled in distress.

Dojin let out a long sigh and scooped Jiho up in his arms. As expected, he felt far too light.

“H-hyung! Put me down!”

“Let’s talk while you eat something.”

“I can walk on my own!”

“Even making it this far on foot feels like a miracle.”

It wasn’t a joke. From what Dojin had seen, Jiho’s belly looked like it was on the verge of starvation. The phrase ‘skin clinging to bones’ couldn’t have been more accurate.

The dim lighting in the entryway cast shadows that made the lines of his ribs even more pronounced.

While Dojin had been unconscious, Jiho might not have had anyone to take care of him. Maybe he’d starved.

‘He’s the kind of person who couldn’t even fry an egg…’

Of course, Jiho had become much more independent while Dojin was gone. Not only could he now fry eggs, but with the help of internet, he could even make rolled omelets and seaweed soup.

Even if he hadn’t learned to cook, there had been plenty of people looking after Jiho while Dojin was unconscious.

Dojin’s parents and older sister, for starters. Just opening the fridge revealed an overflowing supply of side dishes they had brought over to feed him.

“Hyung!”

Jiho squirmed in Dojin’s arms, flustered by how dramatic he was being.

He thought Dojin might scold him, but he hadn’t expected to be picked up like this and rushed around, being force-fed in a panic.

“I’ll order food right away. What do you want to eat… No, forget it. Let’s just order everything nearby.”

“No, no! Hyung! Calm down!”

“Shh. Stay still.”

Dojin lightly smacked Jiho’s butt as he struggled. A sharp slap rang out, and Jiho froze on the spot.

Regardless, Dojin was disappointed. The feeling in his hand wasn’t as satisfying as he remembered.

‘All that work to fatten you up.’

It confirmed what he already knew, Jiho still needed him. It was daunting to think about how much coaxing and care it would take to fatten him up again.

That day, Jiho wasn’t devoured by Dojin. Instead, he had to work hard to finish all the food Dojin served him.

***

On their first night back home, Jiho lay in bed, eyes wide open as he stared at the ceiling.

His belly was full, his back was warm, and yet sleep wouldn’t come.

He had been lying like that for a while when Dojin came into the bedroom after washing up and asked,

“Why aren’t you sleeping?”

“…I can’t fall asleep.”

Jiho turned his body to face Dojin. Without hesitation, Dojin approached and placed light kisses all over his face.

“Hng, that tickles.”

“Why do you think you can’t sleep? Do you want me to help?”

“Yes. Lie down with me.”

Jiho lifted the blanket and patted the space beside him. Dojin chuckled and ruffled his damp hair with his hand, then settled down beside him.

A soft, reddish sleep lamp cast a gentle glow over the room. Within that warmth, Dojin gently patted Jiho’s chest and asked,

“You said you went to the first timeline, right?”

Ever since he woke up with the help of the artifact, Dojin had been busy.

He met with people who came to visit, responded to a flood of messages, and went through rehabilitation.

Jiho, too, had been busy organizing the house he had left empty for a month, getting checkups, and meeting friends.

Because of that, this was the first time they were truly talking about the first timeline.

“…Yeah.”

Jiho nodded, a bitter smile on his lips.

It had already been a month since he returned to this world. By now, the first timeline had probably collapsed after failing to clear the Final Dungeon.

‘Then, the Dojin-hyung from that timeline must be dead…’

The thought made his chest ache. Jiho’s mind was filled with memories of his time with the first-life Baek Dojin.

Four years with him wasn’t short. They had built up quite a few memories together, and it would take a long time to forget them all.

“Back then, I suddenly asked to form a pair with you.”

“…What?”

But then Jiho’s eyes widened at Dojin’s words. The Dojin in front of him smiled awkwardly.

“Looking back, it was a pretty ridiculous request. A little… rude, too.”

“…”

“I’ve always wanted to say I’m sorry. And thank you. For a very long time.”

Jiho’s eyes grew red and glassy. Dojin reached out and gently brushed under them with his thumb as he continued.

“I was so immature back then. I should’ve been the one taking care of you, but you were the one always looking after me. I was really grateful for that.”

Dojin recalled the nagging Jiho used to give him.

Join the training sessions. Be kind to others. Focus more on dungeon clearing.

All the things Jiho had said to the original Baek Dojin.

Knowing that the man in front of him shared those same memories brought a rush of emotion to Jiho.

“Hyung…”

“Come here.”

Dojin opened his arms. Jiho scooted over and nestled into them, resting his head on Dojin’s arm.

The heaviness he’d felt just moments ago lifted like a feather. Jiho rubbed his face into Dojin’s chest and quietly reminisced.

“When I was depressed, you wrapped me up in a blanket like a kimbap.”

“Oh, that. I read online that it helps. Didn’t it work?”

“It did. But it was kind of funny.”

“Why, you didn’t like it?”

“No, it’s just… it didn’t really suit you, looking that stuff up online.”

“Should I do it again next time?”

“Please. And remember that time when you…”

The soft hum of conversation filled the bedroom. Jiho rested his cheek against Dojin’s chest and mumbled,

“Hyung, I like you.”

“…Me too. I love you. Thank you for saving me. For coming back to me.”

That seemed to push Jiho over the edge. His face scrunched up like he was about to cry, and he bumped his forehead against Dojin’s chest. Dojin wrapped his arms tightly around him.

Over Jiho’s hair, Dojin caught sight of the flowerpot sitting neatly on the nightstand.

‘The return of happiness.’

A smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

My happiness. My love. My Guide.

He was glad he had picked up that young Guide from the illegal facility that day. That moment had changed everything.

“I love you, Jiho-ya.”

Dojin tightened his arms around him, as if he would never let go of the happiness that had come into his life.

The happiness held in his arms giggled softly.

Finally, it was a happy ending.

The End