Chapter Text
Kim Dokja isn’t sure when or what happened, all he could see now was black.
The last thing he remembered was briefly going to the comfort room after Yoo Joonghyuk offered for him to stay for the night.
“Where are we staying?”
“My house.”
He was excited then, excusing himself for a minute, then… he doesn't remember.
He tries moving, but finds his arms bound tightly together with rope. He also notices his legs— there’s some sort of metal encasing one of his ankles. Then he realizes his eyes are open, but there’s a blindfold covering them.
Was he kidnapped? What happened?
His thoughts are cut-off when he hears a door open.
“Awake?”
Kim Dokja could barely see the faded light through the fabric, let alone see who just came in. It’s a familiar voice, something his hazy mind can’t fill at the moment.
He tries speaking again, but the tape muffles it.
“It’s useless.” The voice says again, and a hand gently grabs his chin. “Hyung.”
Hyung.
Yoo Joonghyuk.
The tape is then removed, allowing him to finally speak.
“Joonghyuk-ah,” He rasps, glaring at him through the blindfold, “What— what are you doing?”
“Hyung,” Yoo Joonghyuk coos, swiping a thumb over his lips. It sends a shiver down Kim Dokja’s spine. “Do you love me?”
The mere question has Kim Dokja’s mind working on overdrive.
He knows that if he answers wrong, something bad might happen. Then again, if he lies, he’s pretty sure Yoo Joonghyuk would know.
“Of course I do.” He says instead. It’s not a lie, but whatever Yoo Joonghyuk’s doing is making him scared.
He hears him chuckle, then the hand on his face disappears. It’s followed by a click of a door again, and the hand is back. It slowly creeps up to the back of his head, then yanks the tie of his blindfold.
It takes a few moments for him to adjust to the brightness, and when he does, he can't hide the gasp of what he sees.
Walls and walls of his photos.
His body locks up, eyes widening as he looks at each one. They’re obviously shot at an awkward angle, or even from far away. These were obviously secretly taken.
“Wh… what?” He breathes out, a light tremor in his hands.
“Hyung,” Yoo Joonghyuk calls out, grabbing onto his chin to face him again. “I love you too.”
He shivers at the words, unknowing of what to do.
“When you left, I was sad.” Yoo Joonghyuk explains, now looking at the photos with such admiration that Kim Dokja never knew he could make. “Then I found you again… that’s when I knew I couldn’t let you go.”
“You could’ve said something.” Kim Dokja meekly replies.
“What would I have said? I used my parents' connections to find every last bit of information on you?” Yoo Joonghyuk clicks his tongue at the thought. “I didn’t want to scare you.”
Kim Dokja grits his teeth, “You’re scaring me right now.”
“I know.” Yoo Joonghyuk says matter-of-factly, “But… if I hadn't done this, you would’ve left again.”
“I— I wouldn’t have left.” Even Kim Dokja didn’t believe in his own words, “If you’d just told me something— anything—”
“You would’ve found out, anyways.” Yoo Joonghyuk sighs, finally letting his face go.
Yoo Joonghyuk fully stands up, now towering at Kim Dokja’s bound figure. He walks over to a small cabinet just by the corner, and opens it. As he does, Kim Dokja stutters out another question.
“But why me? You could’ve had anyone else—”
“I didn’t want anyone else, hyung.” Yoo Joonghyuk cuts him off. “It has to be you.”
Kim Dokja isn’t sure whether to be flattered or terrified at that statement.
The cabinet door closes and Yoo Joonghyuk drops a letter by Kim Dokja’s knees. Rather, it wasn’t singular— multiple small, card-shaped letters signed with ‘Secretive Plotter’.
Kim Dokja looks at each of them, wondering how he got these.
Ever since he resigned as Yoo Joonghyuk and Yoo Mia’s babysitter all those years ago, suddenly financial support was coming to him. Alongside small gifts and trinkets that were tailored to his taste. From the genres of books he read, to tupperwares filled with his favorite food.
It was always signed “To you, Secretive Plotter” with a small note on the middle of the card.
“Where—”
“Before you ask, who do you think sent all those items?” Yoo Joonghyuk is now kneeling in front of him again, tapping on each card.
Then it clicks—
“You?”
“Of course.” Yoo Joonghyuk gives him a rare smile, full of adoration for his dear hyung. Two hands cup his face this time, so gentle and tender that Kim Dokja momentarily forgot he was in a room tied up. “That’s why… it has to be you, and only you.”
“But why?”
“Is loving you simply not enough?” Yoo Joonghyuk tilts his head, growing closer to his, “Should I show you how much you truly mean to me?”
Kim Dokja doesn’t answer.
And allows Yoo Joonghyuk to show him how much he loves him.