Chapter 1: Cliché of All Clichés
Chapter Text
Applause filled the warm air, joined by the gentle crashing of waves and distant melodies of birds. Even bystanders crowded on the beach before the pier where the wedding took place, enjoying the beautiful scene and the violinist who accompanied it, playing slow and romantic songs. Some shed tears, even when they had no idea what was going on.
It was a memorable event, one that Joshua would never forget. He clung to Wonwoo, tightening his embrace with every passing second. For the first time, there was someone he'd miss.
Ding!
You have successfully completed your last task, Happily Ever After.
You have completed your mission and fulfilled {JOSHUA HONG}’s wish: Marry Jeon Wonwoo!
You have 2 more missions until your objective is complete.
[SYSTEM 1230], thank you for your hard work!
Joshua closed his eyes to escape the transparent screen—a light blue rectangle, blurred around the edges—blaring at him.
Ding!
[SYSTEM 1230], would you like to continue as {JOSHUA HONG}?
His finger hovered around for a while before he declined the offer. As much as he wanted to stay and enjoy the life he had made here in such a short time, he couldn't. He was far too close to finishing his objective, and he couldn't let fleeting feelings for someone stop him. Well, he'd like to believe that it was just simply fleeting.
Suddenly, he pulled away.
Wonwoo was taken aback. "Joshua? Where are you—"
"Just give me a moment." Joshua turned away and began to walk down the aisle.
"Where are you—"
"Don't follow me."
Joshua sprinted, almost, to get as far away as he could. He kept going even when his shoes fell off, even when the white of his suit was stained by sand and dirt, even when his heart ached the further he got.
Once he was far enough and free from any watching eyes, he walked behind a nearby food cart, abandoned next to a tree. He sat down and clasped his hands by his chest, trying to calm himself down.
Ding!
You still have 1 wish, [SYSTEM 1230].
Would you like to use your reward now?
He nodded.
Ding!
What is your wish, [SYSTEM 1230]?
He pondered the question for a while, even though he knew what he wanted. "Erase any trace of my existence in this timeline. I don't care what you do or how you do it. Just… remove me from his memories."
Ding!
Are you sure, [SYSTEM 1230]?
"Yeah. I don't want him to… be sad."
Ding!
The wish will take place once you leave, [SYSTEM 1230].
"Host."
Joshua flinched. Twinkle walked up to him, rubbing its head on his legs. It must've run after him, since its fur was ruffled and all over the place.
"You're still here?" he asked.
"I'll leave the same time as you, Host," Twinkle said, purring. "Are you regretting your choice?"
"…No." Joshua scoffed. "I just got a little too attached. I'll be fine once I'm gone."
"I wish you well then, Host."
Ding!
[SYSTEM 1230], you have been assigned a new mission!
NAME: {HONG JISOO}
GENDER: Male (Ω)
AGE: 28
ALLIES: {LOCKED}, {LEE SEOKMIN}, {YOON JEONGHAN}, {WEN JUNHUI}, {LOCKED}
ENEMIES: {LOCKED}, {LOCKED}, {LOCKED}
OBJECTIVE: Find the baby daddy…?
[SYSTEM 1230], will you accept this mission?
Joshua quickly accepted without even reading the description properly. He was afraid that the longer he stayed, he might run back—to the wedding, to the life he had built in such a short time, to Wonwoo.
Ding!
[SYSTEM 1230], you have accepted the mission!
You are now {HONG JISOO}.
You are an OMEGA.
You are an ARTISAN, specialized in PAINTING.
You are SINGLE.
You will now be transported to HANSEONG, JOSEON DYNASTY, EARTH—TIMELINE 82.
Your mission coexists with [SYSTEM 0313]'s mission. Please be on the lookout.
[SYSTEM 1230], good luck!
•••
Jisoo's body ached from head to toe, limb to limb. His head felt as if it had been split open, throbbing and aching all around, but it seemed to be worse on the left side he rested on. He wasn't sure what he lay on, but it was hard and damp. His throat was dry with a metallic taste, and his hands were filled with sharp stings. He was awake, but had to remain still with his eyes shut, so he could better adjust to the pain.
There were muffled conversations, footsteps, and other noises all around him. Of course, this only made everything feel worse. It didn't help that he could feel someone constantly shaking his entire body; small hands on his stomach, pushing him with little strength. He could hear faint sobs and constant heaves for breath.
"Papa… Papa…"
Jisoo sat up immediately, and his eyes shot open. What he had heard was so shocking that he forgot about his ass-clenching agony.
Ding!
Your health has decreased by 2. Your current health is now at 10 out of 300.
He held onto his neck and fell back, hitting a wall. Whiplash got him, hard.
Ding!
Your health has decreased by 1. Your current health is now at 9 out of 300.
This felt like déjà vu. He quickly gestured for the health screen.
Ding!
Your maximum health is at 32 out of 300.
Please be a joke. It had to be.
"Papa? Pa… Papa! You're…"
Jisoo looked at the little girl at his legs. Her face was a crying mess, full of tears and snot that dried up in her matted hair. She wore a loose overcoat and pants, stained with every grime imaginable. Now that he looked around, they were in some sort of back alley, sitting on wet dirt with trash all around them.
He wore similar clothing, except most of it was stained by blood that he presumably coughed up, considering the residue on his face. It was probably the same thing that reddened the girl's sleeves and hands. He didn't need to think long and hard—he was probably a peasant.
"Papa…?"
"Whose ugly baby is this—"
Ding!
[SYSTEM 1230], you have uncovered a relationship!
Loading Information Screen…
Ding!
NAME: {HONG HARIN}
GENDER: Female
AGE: 4
STATUS: Ally
RELATIONSHIP: Daughter
LIKES: rice cakes, kites, purple
DISLIKES: chickens, rain, nighttime
FAVORABILITY: 12,593
Jisoo did a double-take. He wasn't sure if he had read that correctly, so he pulled up his host screen.
Ding!
[SYSTEM 1230] Host Screen
NAME: {HONG HARIN}
GENDER: Male (Ω)
AGE: 28
OBJECTIVE: Find the baby daddy…?
TASKS: N/A
ALLIES: {HONG HARIN}, {LEE SEOKMIN}, {YOON JEONGHAN}, {WEN JUNHUI}, {LOCKED}
ENEMIES: {LOCKED}, {LOCKED}, {LOCKED}
CAREER: Painter
LIKES: {HONG HARIN}, ink wash painting, poetry
DISLIKES: Rain, medicine, the royal family
He coughed. The duality was insane; never did he think he'd see the royal family next to rain and medicine in the hate list. Somehow, this made him like the original owner of the body already.
Of course, he couldn't overlook the elephant in the room—the symbol next to his gender. He knew he joked about it here and there, but he never expected to see himself in this setting so soon.
Jisoo noticed a decent puddle of water nearby, probably from rainfall, and crawled over. With every movement, he felt as if his limbs were tearing apart one by one; once he loomed over, he could see a reflection of himself.
Well, there it was.
Secondary gender? Omega.
Face? Gorgeous.
Body? Twink.
Health? Weak.
Money? Broke.
Status? Single father.
Goal? Find an alpha, probably.
The original owner was the epitome of every trope and stereotype ever. He had never seen a body this slim and frail before. Not even the body from his last mission could compare. No matter what he did, small or big, there was pain everywhere. Especially in his throat as he had an insane itch, urging him to cough.
Wait, there was something else he completely missed. He had to scroll back up to see it again—his allies were Lee Seokmin, Wen Junhui, and Yoon Jeonghan. One person he had never heard of, one person he had a bone to pick with, and one person who liked him before. He had never seen the same faces from his past mission before; if this were the case, was there a chance he could meet Wonwoo again?
Jisoo shook his head. He needed to move on and focus on his new mission—finding the baby daddy. Common sense told him that it was definitely one of the three allies he had; he just didn't know how he'd go about this. So he did what he knew best and glanced at the screen, flipping it off. He even wiggled his middle finger around for dramatic flair.
"Papa? What are you… doing?"
Oh, right. He had a daughter or whatever. It was a good thing he didn't take over the body while the original owner was pregnant or something. He couldn't even begin to fathom how that would be. Well, he was going to struggle regardless; he wasn't exactly fond of children.
"Nothing," Jisoo said, smiling. "So, ahem… Harin—"
Ding!
Your favorability with {HONG HARIN} has decreased by 10.
He furrowed his brows.
Ding!
You must refer to {HONG HARIN} as 'HARIRIN' at all times, [SYSTEM 1230].
Ding!
[SYSTEM 1230], you have been assigned a task as {HONG JISOO}!
TASK: Blood Is Thicker Than Water
DESCRIPTION: Keep your favorability with {HONG HARIN} over 10,000
TIME LIMIT: Until the mission is over
REWARD:
Increased health over time
Jisoo glared at the screen. He had never been forcefully given a task before. Quietly, he mouthed, "What happens if I don't?"
Ding!
If your favorability drops below 10,000 with {HONG HARIN}, your health will slowly decrease.
Great. It just kept on getting better. The original owner must've loved his daughter so much that making her upset would kill him. He—System 1230—didn't understand it, but he was going to have to now.
"Ha… Haririn," Jisoo said, sighing. "Come here. Let me see your face."
The young girl scooted closer. She was still in tears as she held onto his thumb with her entire hand.
Ding!
[SYSTEM 1230], you have unlocked memory between {HONG JISOO} and {HONG HARIN}!
Initiating memory…
"Papa! Papa!" Harin cried as she clung to her father's torso, trying to keep him up and standing with all the might her small body could allow. Eventually, he fell back and she landed on top of his stomach.
They were in a cramped alleyway, cold as the rain continued to fall. There was nobody nearby at this time of night, leaving them cold and alone. Even the light on their lantern had extinguished.
"Papa!"
Jisoo coughed, blood splattering onto his clothes. He tried to hide it, but it was too late, and Harin's tears fell even harder. He, too, cried. It was the end for him; he knew it too. He had been ill with no explanation or cure for a while now; he just didn't expect it to take his life this soon. He had hoped to at least see his daughter into her childhood, but that wasn't the case anymore.
When he found out he was pregnant, it was as if his world came crashing down. There was no way he could raise a child on his own, or at least that was what he thought. In the four years he had raised her by himself, he'd come to learn just how beautiful life could be. He didn't mind it even if it were just the two of them for the rest of his life, but it wasn't that easy. He was sick; he couldn't last. The least he could do was not leave his pitiful daughter all on her own, even if it meant returning to the city and neighborhood, full of people who ridiculed him.
Oh, how he regretted his choices. If he could go back in time just four years, maybe he would've never made the mistake he did. He'd rather not bring her into this world at all if she was going to suffer from a sickly and feeble father like him. He was supposed to protect her, yet here he was, leaning against the wall as she tried to shield him from the rain with her small body.
Harin held onto his arms, shaking back and forth. "Papa…"
"Ha—Haririn… Why are you… crying?" Jisoo muttered weakly before coughing again. He caressed her cheek gently, trying to wipe away her tears with his thin, shaking fingers.
"Don't go…" she muttered. "Please don't go anywhere. Papa…"
"My poor child." He pulled her into a hug. A young child who had barely seen the world already understood the concept of death—what a terrible father he was. "I won't… I won't go anywhere. I won't leave you, my…"
There was a long silence as Harin awaited his next words, though it never came.
Memory complete.
Returning…
Jisoo felt as if he'd been stabbed a thousand times in the heart, and salt was poured on top of his wound. The memory must've been a few hours prior, considering the location and clothes. This meant that Harin must've been terrified, crying on top of her father's dead body into the morning.
It was strange. Usually, he'd take over bodies the moment they died.
Ding
[SYSTEM 1230], you entered this timeline late due to you running away and choosing a wish in your last mission.
Great, so it was his fault. He should just die for real.
"I'm fine now," Jisoo muttered, reassuring his newfound daughter.
"You… won't leave me," she mumbled. "You won't leave me… right? Papa?"
He nodded. With her help, he managed to stand up.
Ding!
Your health has decreased by 1. Your current health is now at 8 out of 300.
Jisoo considered just killing himself. There was no way he could make it out of this street alive, let alone complete the mission. Still, he couldn't just leave this poor girl by herself. He was a father now, unfortunately.
Harin held onto his hand and walked slowly. Her grasp was gentle and her steps were deliberate, making sure he didn't fall behind her. She was only four years old, yet incredibly aware and understanding far beyond her age. Honestly, it was quite sad.
They exited the alleyway and onto the bustling street. The buildings were old and rusted, made from natural materials. Vendors were selling their grains, children were running around, and people occasionally passed by with large buckets of water on their shoulders. Most of the faces were old and aged from the years of hard work.
Jisoo scoffed. He couldn't think of a possibly worse setting to be broke, sick, and an omega in.
As he walked side by side with his daughter, memories slowly rushed into his head, though they were patchy. All he could remember now was the fact that the original owner of the body decided to return to Hanseong, in hopes of finding whoever was the father of his child—if he died, at least there'd be someone to look after her. He didn't get too far into the city until he collapsed, and that was where System 1230 took over.
Well, he was about to die. Every step he took was agonizing, as if needles were prickling into his feet. He wore sandals woven from straw, but at this point, he'd be better off barefoot. At some point, everything felt numb.
"Are you alright, Papa?" Harin asked, her small voice barely audible through the busy markets.
"I'm okay."
"Okay? What's that?"
Jisoo chuckled. "It means that I'm fine. What about you, Haririn?"
"I'm…" She bit her finger, thinking deeply. "I'm… okay! Since Papa is awake now!"
Bang!
That was the sound of his heart exploding at her cuteness. He wanted to reach down and pick her up, but unfortunately, even breathing was a chore for him right now.
Jisoo thought he was going to miss having an assistant by his side, but a daughter wasn't that much different. Of course, except for the fact that she probably couldn't help him find the baby daddy candidates. It was going to be hard to find people in a world with no technology. He already dreaded the tasks and hoops he'd have to jump through to find out who it was. Even if he did, he wasn't sure how he'd confirm that it was really the person he was looking for. What if he just found a random dude and said 'You're the father!'?
The further they walked into the city, the lower his health dropped. At least some of the original owner's memories were useful; he could at least find a way to the house that he had once lived in before he left the city. According to his memories, his family had kicked him out once they found out he had a child. No, not because he was an omega or took it up the ass by another man. But because he had a child, and didn't know who the father was. Somehow, this ancient timeline seemed more progressive, but in a strange way.
Once they reached the home, it was as abandoned and barren as he'd imagined. It was a small property near the city center, close to the palace, which his parents had given him as their last grace. At least they had a conscience, not kicking him out onto the streets completely with a child.
"Is this… where we lived before, Papa?" Harin asked, tilting her head. She looked up at the walls, trying to read the wooden sign that was hanging on for dear life above her.
That was the exact question he wanted to ask too.
Jisoo walked over and pushed open the door with much effort. It creaked so loudly that everyone had turned to look at him, so he quickly ushered her inside. He struggled a bit more as he tried to close the doors, even having to use his leg for leverage.
"Papa! Look!"
"Hold on—"
"Papa!"
"Wait—"
"System 1230?"
Chapter Text
Jisoo froze. His head slowly turned back after he finally closed the doors with one loud creak. Leaning on the wooden table with both hands was a tall man, who seemed just as flustered, as if he weren't in the middle of someone's courtyard.
"System 1230! It's you, right—"
Bang!
A shoe smacked the baffled stranger in the forehead.
Although Jisoo didn't read the mission description properly, he didn't miss the part where The Interface told him that System 0313's mission coexisted with his. He could still remember the snarky comments from his last mission. If only he weren't frail, he would've jumped at him instead.
"Haha, so you know who I am?"
Ding!
NAME: {CHOI BEOMGYU}
GENDER: Male (α)
AGE: 23
STATUS: Unclear
RELATIONSHIP: Acquaintance
CAREER: Unknown
LIKES: {LOCKED}, {LOCKED}, {LOCKED}
DISLIKES: {LOCKED}, {LOCKED}, {LOCKED}
FAVORABILITY: 83
"You—" Jisoo paused, temporarily containing the wave of profanities he was about to let out. He turned toward his daughter and bent down. "Harin, could you just take this bag inside?"
Ding!
Your favorability with {HONG HARIN} has decreased by 10.
"Papa… are you angry?" she asked in her small voice.
He quickly shook his head. "No, no. Why do you think so?"
"You only call me that when you're mad…"
Oh, right.
"I just said it wrong. I'm not mad, alright?" Jisoo leaned over and kissed her forehead
Ding!
Your favorability with {HONG HARIN} has increased by 20.
Harin nodded and dragged the bag all the way inside; she even began to unpack the little stuff they had on her own, mumbling things to herself.
"You got used to being a dad pretty quickly, huh?" Beomgyu teased. Compared to Jisoo, he was dressed properly in a navy blue robe with a silver emblem across the torso. His hair was neatly brushed back and contained with a black headpiece. It was a really familiar outfit, but Jisoo couldn't pinpoint exactly where he had seen it before.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Jisoo groaned. He scratched his head and got his hand stuck, forgetting that his hair was long, thick, and just a mess. "How did you find me already?"
"The Interface told me where you are," Beomgyu said, smiling. "I don't think I was supposed to find out that easily either, but I was told that your host body is really weak and pitiful. I guess I'm your assistant now in some way."
"Well, you do look like you can help me." Jisoo scanned him from head to toe. "Who are you?"
Suddenly, Beomgyu turned around and posed dramatically. Jisoo could've sworn he saw flower petals flying out of nowhere.
"I'm glad you asked." He winked. Somehow, he had pulled a rose out of his sleeve and bit on it to complete his image. "I'm the fourth prince of the kingdom. Isn't that cool?"
Jisoo fell to his knees.
Ding!
Your health has decreased by 1. Your current health is now at 7 out of 300.
Don't be mistaken, his health was damaged due to jealousy. Not only was the other system in this timeline an alpha, but he was also a prince. Meanwhile, Jisoo was the textbook omega. It'd be more surprising if he didn't seethe with envy.
"What's your mission anyway?" Beomgyu continued, as if he didn't just shatter a man's spirit.
"To find the father of my child or something," Jisoo groaned. "You?"
"I have to win over my crush's heart." He clutched his chest, wiping a fake tear from his eye.
"What's his name?"
Beomgyu smiled. "Kang Taehyun. If you ever run into a beauty with that name, let me know. Oh, but I guess you won't… considering your current state."
"Are you calling me poor?"
"Hey, you said it yourself—"
Smack!
"Don't be so cruel! My body is as weak as my mind, you know? The original owner of my body was so in love with him that he died from heartbreak when he was rejected."
"Seriously?"
"No. He fell off the roof and died."
"Get out."
•••
Harin fidgeted in her seat, fumbling with her fingers that were still riddled with dirt and dried blood. When Jisoo returned with a bucket of water, she joined him as he began to wash her face.
"Papa… who was that?"
"Just a strange man. Don't think about him."
She nodded.
Jisoo cleaned her the best he could before he moved to the rest of the small estate. It was an old and humble structure, with only one house inside the gates and a small courtyard. Surprisingly, the inside was quite clean and free of dust, although there were still some cracked wooden beams here and there. Now that he scanned the courtyard again, it was in better condition than he'd thought. If he had left this place four years ago, according to the original owner's memory, it would have been overrun with weeds by now.
Well, he'd figure out what magic was involved later; his body was caving in to the pain as time passed. It was a surprise that he hadn't passed out already with his health this low, probably because the host body had grown accustomed to the pain.
Luckily, he didn't have to worry about food and clothes, since Beomgyu had fetched them for him. He wondered how a prince like him could travel so freely. He also wondered if there was a life where he wasn't just miserable, pathetic, and fragile. If only he were a prince, and an alpha, who could do whatever the fuck he wanted.
Jisoo hunched over, coughing. His migraine worsened by the second, and his entire body still ached. He leaned against the wall and slowly slid down, holding onto his stomach to ease the pain. He tried to be as quiet as he could, but it was hard to hide from Harin when their estate was just so small. Ridiculous; he had spent his previous mission enjoying Wonwoo's luxurious apartment and car, and now he lived in a glorified hut.
His daughter rushed to his side, panicked and frantically shaking his legs. "Papa!"
"I—ugh! I'm… fine," he muttered weakly. "I just need to… lie down. Can you watch over me for a bit… Haririn?"
Harin nodded. "I will!"
Jisoo smiled and slowly rested his body sideways, on top of a pillow that he had yet to dust off. It was hard for him to fall asleep as pain constantly shot throughout his body, especially in his throat. He still tasted blood, and his constant coughing didn't help either.
He could feel his daughter's gaze on him, fulfilling her duty with great diligence. She patted his stomach gently, humming a melody to soothe him. To his surprise, it worked, and he drifted off into the worst sleep of his life. It was unclear how much time had passed, but by the time he opened his eyes again, it was dark. He couldn't see anything inside the small house except the moonlight through the broken windows.
Jisoo quickly sat up and glanced around, tapping the area around him with his hands to find nothing. "Harin? Haririn?"
He crawled out and almost fell off the platform as soon as he was outside. Harin stood by the stone walls with a makeshift torch by her side—it was almost the size of her entire torso, but he couldn't tell if she was small or if it was big. The bigger concern, however, was the figure on top of the wall, mid-climb.
"What the hell," Jisoo groaned, sighing into his hand. He was worried he'd spend his time moping around over Wonwoo, maybe missing him, but he was wrong. There was just too much happening, and it was only his first day. Hell, what sane person would rob a run-down place?
"H-Hey, it's not what you think! I'm just—"
Thwack!
Harin stepped back as she watched her father's shoe hit the stranger right in the face. She quickly ran behind him and hugged his leg, unaware that he was secretly gloating—proud of his aiming precision.
Ding!
[SYSTEM 1230], throwing shoes at people is not an acceptable greeting.
No way, really?
The man lost his balance and fell forward, landing on the grass with a loud thud. He managed to stand up, brush the dirt off himself, and somehow still didn't prepare himself when the other pair flew at his stomach.
"Ugh! S-Shit… Hold on! Don't you recognize me?"
Jisoo wanted to ask that too, but unfortunately, the original owner didn't have any midnight wall-climbing thief in his memories. He grabbed the torch from Harin and pointed it toward the man, lighting up his face.
Ding!
NAME: {YOON JEONGHAN}
GENDER: Male (α)
AGE: 28
STATUS: Ally
RELATIONSHIP: Friend
CAREER: Weaver
LIKES: {HONG JISOO}, ink wash painting, poetry
DISLIKES: {LOCKED}, {LOCKED}, {LOCKED}
FAVORABILITY: 18,529
Jisoo froze. He stared at the screen to ensure he hadn't added another digit due to fatigue. Even Wonwoo's favorability never reached this high.
It was strange to see Jeonghan's face again. He never really paid attention to him before in the last mission, since it wasn't exactly like they got along. Somehow, they were good friends now—really good friends. With that favorability, they might as well be the good friends that historians talk about in books.
Well, Jeonghan looked the same as he did in the previous mission. Only this time, his hair was longer and his face seemed a bit more rugged. With the way his clothes were, it was clear that he wasn't anyone as wealthy and influential as Beomgyu, but he also wasn't as piss poor as Jisoo.
Jeonghan ruffled his hair with one hand on his hip, looking around. "I can't believe this is how we meet again…"
Ding!
Your favorability with {YOON JEONGHAN} has increased by 15.
Jisoo had a really good look at his face as the original owner's memories poured in. As usual, everything was patchy; he at least made out that Jeonghan was his neighbor for almost a year. When Jisoo announced his pregnancy and was forcibly removed to this humble estate, he made friends with Jeonghan, who lived next door. He hoped to read more into the memories, but he had an inkling something would pop up soon.
Ding!
[SYSTEM 1230], you have unlocked memory between {HONG JISOO} and {YOON JEONGHAN}!
Initiating memory…
Would you look at that? I was right.
After years and years of friendship, this was the first time Jisoo had seen Jeonghan's place; he definitely wasn't lying when he said it was disorganized and cramped. In one corner was a large loom, and in the other an assortment of materials to be made into fabric.
Jeonghan must've memorized the free space on his floor well because he walked backward toward his bed, guiding Jisoo, who was too busy kissing his neck to see anything. At this point, neither of them was sure if it was the alcohol or their desires talking.
WHOA. WHOA. WHOA. We're starting with this? On the second chapter?
"Are you in heat or something?" Jeonghan asked, whispering in his ear and tickling him.
"N-No… I don't think so…"
"Mm… you smell like lavender."
"I… do?"
Is he serious?
[SYSTEM 1230], what's wrong?
Lavender smells like ass. Like shit from an asshole—
[SYSTEM 1230], please just pay attention.
Jeonghan brushed away Jisoo's hair to one side and returned the gesture, pecking his neck and collarbones. Once his lips found his nape, he paused—there was already a bite mark, albeit faint. He frowned and turned Jisoo around, holding him by the shoulders.
"You're… bonded?"
"A-Ah… that…"
"Who is it?" he asked, although it looked as if he already knew. His eyes twitched and remained open as he crashed his lips onto Jisoo's body. It was almost eerie the way he seemed so out of it.
Can we skip this? I feel like I'm intruding.
[SYSTEM 1230], this is a core memory to {HONG JISOO}.
Ask me if I give a fuck. Quickly.
Memory interrupted.
Returning…
Jisoo closed his eyes as his mind quickly finished off the scene. To say it was a passionate, romantic, and emotional night would be straight-up wrong. It was nothing more than two animals in heat, even if they weren't literally in heat. It was just sloppy, heated, and honestly borderline uncomfortable for him to recall. He just couldn't imagine how this weak body that was ready to keel over was able to withstand hours of missionary. Seriously, he swore they were fucking on the ceiling at some point, but he might've made that up in sheer shock.
At least he understood why his favorability was as high as it was. He would've guessed that Jeonghan was the father of his child, but that was too easy, so there was definitely more to it. Well, he had just started the mission anyway; he couldn't be too hasty.
"So…" he sighed. "Why are you breaking into my house again?"
Jeonghan's head snapped around so quickly that there was an audible crack. He held onto his neck, groaning and spinning around in complaints before he finally answered. "I was just trying to check if there was an intruder."
"But you're the one who's climbing the walls?"
"Just let me finish," he sighed. "I've been keeping the place clean ever since you left. The gates aren't usually locked, and I check on them every time I pass by. I thought someone must've been inside since it was locked, and I was only trying to see who it was. I didn't think… it'd be you."
Jisoo nodded. He wished he had more to think and say, but he was too tired. "Well, now that you know it's me, you can leave now—"
"W-Wait!" Jeonghan rushed over, waving his hands. He grabbed Jisoo's arms and shook them lightly. "We just met after four years! Surely, you're not going to send me away already?"
"I'm tired. I've been traveling for a long ass time, alright?" Jisoo groaned and shook him off. "You live next door, don't you?"
"But… who knows if you'll just up and leave again?"
"I can barely stand up without feeling—no, forget it." He covered his mouth. If he said he was in pain, he was sure that Jeonghan was going to start babbling about it too. "I'm not going anywhere anymore, don't worry."
Harin reached up and took the torch from his hand. "Come on, Mister! I'll show you out!"
She grabbed Jeonghan's index finger and led him to the gates, although he had to remove the wooden plank—used as a lock—himself. He then crouched so he could see her better; it was no secret that she was Jisoo's child. They bore a striking resemblance, especially in their smiles.
"You've grown up well, Harin." He smiled.
"Mister… you know me?"
Jeonghan nodded. "Of course! I saw you when you were just a baby! I practically lived with your father here while you were still in his stomach."
Harin lowered her head. She grabbed onto the hem of her shirt. "Then… are you my… father too?"
Silence.
Jisoo wanted to run over and grab her, but he had no energy to move. He appreciated her eagerness in finding her other parent, but he didn't want her to scare off any potential prospects. For all he knew, Jeonghan was just some guy he had one-and-done'd. Probably not, considering the favorability, but better safe than sorry.
Suddenly, Jeonghan burst into laughter. It was so loud that he scared himself and ended up covering his mouth.
"Haha, sorry. Did I scare you?" He wiped a tear from his eye. "You know… that's what I was telling your father, too."
"So… you're not? Then…"
"Haririn. It's late, come on."
She nodded and waved. "I'll see you later… Mister."
Harin joined her father, and they headed inside. She kept glancing back at the doors, now shut and completely dark. She tried her best to stay up with him, but soon fell asleep under the thickest blanket they had in a while. But it was probably the warmth of her father's arm that soothed her to sleep.
While Jisoo had hoped to talk to The Interface, he couldn't muster the strength to stand up, let alone stay awake and speak. His entire body was powerless, aching from limb to limb. He had to move himself to the other side of the estate so he could muffle his coughs and stop Harin from waking up; every cough was like a blade to the throat. It was dry and continuous, giving him no room to breathe and leaving him in tears after he was done with every coughing fit. It was as if his time in the last mission was an appetizer for this mission. He'd rather pass out at any sudden pain than withstand it.
He wasn't sure how long he writhed around in pain for, but when he opened his eyes again, the sun had risen. Somehow, his daughter was by his side, lying on the cold, hard floor as she hugged him. The blanket she had with her was also draped over his shoulders.
Jisoo brushed her hair out of her face. She was small and thin, so much more than a girl her age should be. Her maturity and eloquence were definitely beyond her years too, though it was a pity to think of the reason why.
"Mm… Papa?" she mumbled groggily, rubbing her eyes.
"Haririn. How come you're here?"
She opened her arms and hugged him, nuzzling her head into his chest. "I wanted to make sure that you were still here, Papa."
Jisoo returned her embrace. Once again, he was nothing more than an outsider. He wanted to tell her it was alright, that he'd be here for her, and he'd never leave her. Yet he couldn't; he didn't have the right to. What a shame. If only love could save her father, he would've lived forever.
Notes:
GUESS WHO'S ALIVE... i would've updated this like the day after i posted the fic but i unfortunately was and still am going through the worst week of my life
here's a list of all my symptoms if anyone gaf: coughing, migraine, fever, stomach pain, ear pain, body ache, mild hearing loss, and god knows what
i was literally method acting for joshua's character in this
if there's any mistakes or if something doesn't make sense, please let me know!! i might've missed it since i'm just out of it in general
i'll try to post the next update soon but we'll see!! for courtesy's sake i'll just say the next update is a week from now
Chapter Text
The next time Jisoo went outside must have been a week later. His health was too low for him to dare to take a step outside; he wanted to recover enough at least so that he wouldn't keel over and die from tripping on his clothes or something. It might've taken longer had Jeonghan not visited every day with fruits and tea. He even invited the father-and-daughter duo over to his place so they could rest while he cleaned up the rest of their estate.
Of course, Jisoo wasn't one to decline free labor. He made himself at home, even lying down on his beloved friend's daybed. It was a similar setup to his place, just well-decorated and full of life—as if someone lived there, obviously.
"You look comfortable," Jeonghan said, chuckling and wiping the sweat from his forehead. Since he had maintained the yard already, all he had to do was give the wood a deep clean before he brought out any salvageable furniture from his side—which he had taken from Jisoo's home when he left four years ago.
It was already strange enough that Jisoo was meeting familiar names and faces in a different mission, but even more so with a personality this different. The Jeonghan he met briefly in his past mission probably wouldn't look twice if he kicked the bucket right in front of him. Yet the Jeonghan now bent over backwards to accommodate him as if it were as easy as breathing.
Jisoo sat up and walked over. Although his body still ached with pain all around, it wasn't torturous anymore. His health had improved to a whopping 18 out of 300, after all.
Harin also joined him, running from outside. She had been plucking small weeds with her bare hands out of gratitude. She even woke up earlier than him to get to work so he could just rest. Jisoo enjoyed the wonderful treatment from everybody; he would've loved it even more if he weren't near death.
"Mister! You're back!"
Jeonghan smiled and ruffled her hair. He crouched and accepted the handkerchief she offered from her pocket. "Thanks. You've been raised well, haven't you?"
She nodded excitedly. "Papa told me to be nice to people who are kind to me!"
"Good. That's good…" Jeonghan's words trailed off as he continued to pat her head. He had a sort of solemn look on his face with a bitter smile, staring at her and sneaking glances at her father. "If only… I was there to watch you grow up too."
Harin tilted her head, confused.
"Haririn," Jisoo said. "Can you go pick some more weeds? I think I saw some around the back."
"Oh… I thought I got them all… I'll go check, Papa!" She bowed to the two of them and quickly ran off.
Jisoo stepped closer and looked down at Jeonghan, who glanced up at him.
"Why do you keep talking like you're her father too?"
Jeonghan stood up, groaning. "Am I not? You got pregnant after we slept together, so shouldn't I be the father?"
Jisoo furrowed his brows. In his blurred memories, he couldn't remember another time they had sex with each other. If the one he saw yesterday was the only time, it would've been after he was kicked out and forced to live in this humble home, which meant that he would've been pregnant already. Then again, everything was so patchy that he wasn't sure if he had missed something. For all he knew, there was a major memory waiting to be unlocked.
"Unless…" Jeonghan crossed his arms. "You slept… with other people."
Ding!
[SYSTEM 1230], you have been assigned a task as {HONG JISOO}!
TASK: The Casanova
DESCRIPTION: Find the baby daddy candidates
Current Candidates: {YOON JEONGHAN}
TIME LIMIT: 3 weeks
REWARD:
Unlock the first meeting memory between any candidate of your choice
[SYSTEM 1230], will you accept this task?
Bang!
That was the sound of Jisoo's hand smashing the accept button.
Ding!
You have accepted The Casanova.
Upon completion, you will unlock the FIRST MEETING memory between any candidate of your choice.
TIME LEFT: 20d 23h 57m 28s
[SYSTEM 1230], happy working!
Now it was getting interesting. He was a little worried, though; there wasn't a specific amount, nor did he know what kind of people he was supposed to look for. It didn't help that he was living in the age of dinosaurs. Well, not that far back, but still hard to find information on people, regardless. His only hope was to run into the two other uncovered names on his ally list—Lee Seokmin and Wen Junhui. He wasn't sure if they were the other possible baby daddies or not, but it wouldn't hurt to find people on his side. He needed all the help he could, now that he was broke, ill, and an omega.
Even the thought of that pissed him off, so he looked up at the screen. Unfortunately, he couldn't swear or flip it off, so he resorted to prolonged staring and eye twitching.
"You're not going to deny?"
Oh. Jisoo almost forgot he was in the middle of a conversation. "I'm sorry. I don't know if I can answer that right now."
Ding!
Your favorability with {YOON JEONGHAN} has decreased by 30.
"It's fine," Jeonghan muttered and turned away. It clearly wasn't fine. "I've finished everything at your place. It should be good now."
Jisoo nodded. What a kind way to basically kick him out. Well, it was understandable that he'd be upset if he was under the impression that he was also Harin's father for four years. He could be, but that was for future him to find out.
•••
The market outside was bustling with the smoke of freshly cooked foods, and people who flocked to the smell. Jisoo had seen it when he traveled into the inner city when he took over the host body already, but he hadn't explored it yet. Now that his house was settled and his health had slightly improved, he was confident enough to take a stroll; he wanted to come alone so he didn't have to worry about his daughter, but she insisted on tagging along. With her small and malnourished body, she believed that she could protect him if he collapsed again.
Her company was more than welcome; he was just worried that she'd accidentally get hurt by the crowds, stray dogs, and horse carriages that occasionally passed by. Well, she was probably stronger than he was in his current state anyway.
The stalls were plentiful, ranging from staples to handicrafts to medicine. There were many more that he saw too, but he didn’t have the opportunity to look up close due to the amount of traffic. That and also the fact that everyone seemed to know who he was. From merchants to passersby, they stared at him and his daughter, even making side comments.
Jisoo was able to catch a few screens as they passed by, showing his favorability in the negatives with faces he didn't even recognize. If this were how everyone treated him, it was no wonder that he moved away after the birth of his child. He just couldn't figure out if their judgment was because he was an omega, or because he was a single father, or because he didn't know the other parent of his child. Worse, he was somehow the neighborhood philanderer who slept with everyone and somehow didn't remember that.
"Papa, look!" Harin tugged him, holding onto his thumb with her entire hand. She pointed toward a stall across the street. She pulled him over in mere seconds, drooling over the rice cakes, cooking on a small griddle.
She opened her mouth to speak again, but paused and looked up at him.
"What is it? Do you want some?"
Harin bit her lip, glancing at the small drawstring attached to his waistband. Her pitiful gaze just called him poor, broke, jobless, and pathetic all at once.
Jisoo chuckled. He pulled out a few copper coins and handed them over so she could talk to the merchant and buy it herself. Truth be told, he just didn't know how much things generally cost and wanted to learn.
Once Harin got her little snack, they continued their walk. He even ended up getting a meat skewer for himself, though he had to distance himself from Harin as she apparently hated chicken even when it was cooked.
As they passed another street, Jisoo noticed a change in the market, from the way stalls were set up and from the contents being sold. He honed in on a wooden cart, displaying a variety of tea leaves in what looked like hand-painted porcelain cups. If he hadn't sensed the earthy aromas, he would've come over regardless just for the beautiful handicraft.
He spent too long in the comfort and convenience of the modern timelines, so it had been a while since he had seen such authenticity and hard work—poured into the hundreds of handicrafts he had passed, including this stall. However, it was abandoned, or so it seemed.
Jisoo glanced around. He didn't want to buy anything, but he didn't want to look suspicious, as if he were trying to steal while the merchant was out. Still, he spent a good minute there, sniffing out the different tea leaves as if he had a clue about how different they tasted. Once he returned the final cup, he grabbed Harin's hand again and began to walk away.
"Sir! Hold on!"
He glanced back at the out-of-breath merchant, rushing behind the cart.
Ding!
NAME: {WEN JUNHUI}
GENDER: Male (UNKNOWN)
AGE: 27
STATUS: Ally
RELATIONSHIP: Friend
CAREER: Merchant
LIKES: {LOCKED}, {LOCKED}, tea
DISLIKES: {LOCKED}, {LOCKED}, {LOCKED}
FAVORABILITY: 21,010
"Ah… My Lord!"
Before Jisoo could process what was on the screen before him, Junhui rushed over and grabbed his hand. He shook it in excitement, grinning from ear to ear, before he noticed the young girl nearby, extending his greetings to her as well. His demeanor was almost the same as it was in the last mission.
Ding!
[SYSTEM 1230], you have unlocked memory between {HONG JISOO} and {WEN JUNHUI}!
Initiating memory…
The atmosphere in the motel room was suffocating. The door was shut with the window slightly ajar, leaving no room for the strong pheromones to escape.
Junhui pinned Jisoo down on the small bed, breathing heavily against his bare collarbone. His eyes were unfocused, flickering at the beauty beneath him. He had ripped apart his clothes in the heat of the moment and left himself in scraps from the waist down. To say he was completely out of his mind would be an understatement.
Wait… why is he kind of…
Jisoo wasn't any better himself, twitching and moaning as he awaited Junhui's next move. This was the true power of an omega's heat, sweeping anyone and everyone off their senses. He didn't even know what Junhui's secondary gender was. Somehow, the desire and passion were still just as strong, even if they weren't bonded.
"Are you… sure, My Lord?" Junhui muttered. He kept pushing himself up and further away, presumably to contain himself. "I… I don't want to hurt you. However, I… I don't think I can control—"
Hold on. Was I really just having sex with everybody?
Jisoo grabbed his face. His eyes gently narrowed, his hair draped over his shoulders, and his quivering legs—everything about him was seductive. "I'm not… that weak."
Was that foreshadowing?
Junhui leaned over and bit the back of his own hand, as if to contain himself. "If I hurt you too much… just punch me."
"Haha… I'll try."
Memory interrupted.
Wait, what? We're just getting to the good part—
Returning…
Jisoo groaned into his palm, shooting daggers into the interface. It probably skipped the explicit activities since he had asked last time. Unfortunately, he was a little more interested this time and was hoping to see everything. The rest of the memory quickly flooded his mind, and surprisingly, it wasn't as aggressive and animalistic as he had thought it would be. It was definitely tamer compared to whatever he had going on with Jeonghan.
"I didn't expect to see you again, My Lord!" Junhui exclaimed. "Well, I suppose it'd be weirder if we ran into each other since I'm always moving around the capital, haha. What brings you here?"
"There's no need to call me with such formalities. I'm no longer a lord or anything like that." Jisoo lowered his head in greeting. He had spoken so well that he shocked himself. "I just moved back here over a week ago."
"Back? You used to live here before? I swear I remember you told me that you lived north of Hanseong."
Well, that was where his family lived. Once his pregnancy news broke out, he was forcibly removed to a small estate far away, albeit still in the capital—and that was where he was now. He wasn't too upset, since he wasn't the original owner, but at least he wasn't demoted to the countryside or something.
"I used to," Jisoo continued quietly. "My family kicked me out once they found out I was pregnant."
Junhui's eyes slowly drifted to Harin with his words. His gaze switched between the father and daughter a few times, probably to confirm the resemblance. "Then she's…"
"She's my daughter, Harin."
"Nice to meet you, Miss Harin!"
She bowed politely and covered her cheeks with her hands. She must've been flustered at his friendliness and even hid behind her father.
Ding!
You have found a BABY DADDY CANDIDATE.
Jisoo figured. Although seeing that message on a futuristic screen in the middle of an ancient civilization broke his immersion.
"Haririn," he whispered. "What should you say next?"
"Oh… Mister! What's your name?"
Junhui thought about it for a while as he stared at Jisoo. "Call me Shushu! I think my name would be too hard to pronounce, haha."
"What does that mean?" Jisoo whispered, leaning in.
"It's the word for uncle in my language, isn't it sweet?" He chuckled. "However, if she's your daughter then…"
"I know what you're thinking," Jisoo muttered, slightly ashamed. "I don't know for sure either if she's your child."
"Haha, how many people did you sleep with during that time, My Lord?"
"That's what I'm trying to figure out as well," he groaned. Wow, he really sounded like a scumbag. "And please, don't call me that around here. People are already slow-roasting me with their glares. I don't want it to get worse by them finding out I was a noble."
"S-Slow-roasting you with their glares? You have a strange way with words, haha. Still, I can't believe I was one of your flings—ah, I guess I shouldn't be speaking of that with your daughter here." Junhui covered his mouth and turned around. He reached into a bag behind the cart and pulled out multiple satchels of tea, offering them to Jisoo. "Take these. They're my most popular imports from the Qing dynasty."
"How can I just take them?" Jisoo grabbed his small bag to try and pull out some coins, but Junhui stopped him, holding onto his hand. Great, that was exactly what he wanted—he needed to save money anyway.
"Just think of it as a gift for our second meeting," Junhui said. He even passed some more to Harin, who accepted with a smile. "Why don't you come to my store next time so we can continue our conversation?"
"Your store?"
Junhui nodded. "This stall is temporary. I'm just using it to test out the trends amongst the people here. I run a proper store further down the road, you'll recognize it when you see it."
"Then… I'll see you."
•••
"It just makes no sense. I don't get it."
Ding!
You've said that 36 times now, [SYSTEM 1230].
Maybe he'd get it on the thirty-seventh time.
Beomgyu nodded. He lay on his side, snacking on strawberries that had been cut into perfect slices for him. Unlike his previous visit, he was ordered to travel with at least one guard even while incognito, which soured his mood. Not for long, as he found great interest in listening to Jisoo rant about his tasks.
While he rested with much ease in somebody else's residence, the homeowner was slowly killing himself from the inside out.
Jisoo couldn't figure out why his favorability was so high between Jeonghan and Junhui. He hadn't even seen such numbers in his past missions before, unless it was in the negatives. He just couldn't fathom how two one-night stands led to a higher favorability than Wonwoo's, whom he married. His only answer right now was that he was just so gorgeous that people fell for him by mere glances. That option was still confusing though, since Jeonghan and Junhui's favorability had barely budged.
"And somehow I still haven't found all the baby daddy candidates," he said, sighing. "Even saying that aloud sounds ridiculous."
"Why the rush?" Beomgyu shook his head and sat up. He was on the edge of the platform of the house, kicking his legs. "Your health is shit, isn't it? If you keep stressing yourself over it, you might collapse, for real."
"You think I don't know that?"
Beomgyu raised his arms and flared his hands in defeat; seeing Jisoo take off his shoe and aim it was quite scary for him. "If anything, you're the lucky one. My sweet, cute, little crush's favorability is at around two hundred… in the negatives! He keeps avoiding me."
Jisoo scoffed. Rookie numbers.
"Is your crush an omega too? If so, I can try and approach him. It might be easier for someone similar to him."
"No? He's an alpha."
Jisoo furrowed his brows.
"Hey, alphas can be sweet, cute, and little too. Don't discriminate."
"That's not what I… sure."
Suddenly, the guard—who had been monitoring from afar by the wooden gates—walked over.
"Your Highness, I think it's time for you to leave."
Beomgyu opened his mouth to complain, but ultimately decided against it. He probably used up all his energy talking already. He strutted over and placed his hand on Jisoo's shoulder, patting him.
"I'll see you in a bit," he said, dejected. "Oh, also! I heard there's a community daycare around here. You should look into that so you don't have to worry about your daughter all the time."
Jisoo's mouth hung open, and he dramatically wiped a tear from his cheek. "I didn't know you capable of being so kind and thoughtful, System 0313."
Beomgyu lifted his chin proudly. "Of course, of course. Anything to spare my head from your shoe, System 1230."
Ding!
What beautiful camaraderie, [SYSTEM 1230] and [SYSTEM 0313]!
Notes:
still sick but the grind never stops! thank you for any comments whether on here or twitter, they're all really fun and motivating to read!!
the next update will be in 5 days for formalities, but you know i'll probably update sooner LMFAOO
Chapter Text
This wouldn't do. Joshua was too intrigued. He had met two people with whom he had one-night stands, and somehow their favorability was way higher than that of a man he had married in his past mission. Call him a cat, with the way curiosity was about to get him killed.
Creak!
Well, there was one other issue—he had a really persistent neighbor. Every day, without fail, Jeonghan showed up at his courtyard to play with his daughter. Even in the crack of dawn, he was there with a smile on his face and food to share.
Jeonghan patted Harin on the head and excused himself, joining Jisoo by the stairs of the house. "What's got your pretty face frowning like that?"
"Nothing," Jisoo sighed. He lied. He wanted to ask if he was a great fuck, or if they had prior history, or maybe he was the only omega ever; he wanted to figure out what he had done to warrant so much favorability. But he couldn't just blurt those out, so for now, it was nothing.
It wasn't as if finding out would serve any purpose, but he was just nosy. However, hearing Jeonghan's words just then, he knew he had to confirm something—his beauty. He had seen himself briefly when he first took over the body through a small puddle, but that was barely visible in the dark. All he knew was that he had dainty features and generally looked thinner than the other host bodies he'd been in.
"Actually," Jisoo said, turning to Jeonghan and grabbing his hand.
Ding!
Your favorability with {YOON JEONGHAN} has increased by 15.
"W-What is it?"
"Do you have a mirror anywhere?"
Jeonghan frowned, nodding. "I do… Why?"
"To cook."
"What—"
"Obviously, so I can look at myself." Jisoo chuckled. He needed a clear picture of himself, and then maybe he'd understand.
Jeonghan averted his gaze. There wasn't even a smile or giggle. Nothing was funny, apparently.
"What's wrong? Can't I use your mirror for a bit?"
"It's not that…" he mumbled. "You… hate mirrors, don't you?"
Ding!
[SYSTEM 1230], you have unlocked memory between {HONG JISOO} and {YOON JEONGHAN}!
Initiating memory…
Crash!
"Hey! Hey!" Jeonghan yelled. He ran over and pulled Jisoo back, away from the tens of shards at his feet. The floor-length mirror was gone, cracked and shattered by a wooden box that had been flung at it. The hit was so big that some fragments had flown past, scratching Jisoo's face and arms.
Jisoo was in tears. His hands trembled as he continuously shook his head as if he were denying something. Well, he was. He couldn't stand the sight of his reflection—pale, thin, and sickly. There was no color on his face, and even his lips had turned purple. His hair was also a mess from the pulling he had done.
The beauty and life in his body were no longer there, and he couldn't tell if it was because of the baby in his stomach. He wasn't always the strongest, but it wasn't a secret that his health deteriorated after he began his pregnancy. Many nights, he cried, blaming the unborn child. Although deep down, he knew it was his fault and nobody else's.
Jisoo looked down, unable to see his feet. His fingers twitched, physically recoiling as he forced himself to feel his stomach.
"W-What's wrong?" Jeonghan asked gently. He hugged Jisoo from behind to physically restrain him from hurting himself even more.
The mirror still leaned against the wall with a large portion of the glass missing at the top. Fortunately, Jisoo couldn't see himself through all the tears drenching his cheeks. He was an omega—how unfortunate.
Memory complete.
Returning…
Jeonghan reached up and wiped a singular tear from Jisoo's left eye.
Jisoo—System 1230—pulled away. His chest throbbed with intense pain, heating his entire body, as if he were on fire. The original owner's emotions and pain were always with him; he realized it whenever he looked at Harin. Yet somehow, it was a lot worse now.
"Can you just get me a mirror?" he muttered.
"I have one in my house."
"I didn't see any last time I was there, though?"
Jeonghan sighed. "That's because I hid it."
Jisoo looked down. If he had a favorability bar and Jeonghan could see it, it probably would've gone up by hundreds.
"Come." Jeonghan grabbed his hand and walked toward the gate, picking up Harin swiftly with his other arm. He let them go once they were inside his courtyard and quickly disappeared behind the house. He returned with a small handheld mirror and handed it over to Jisoo.
Now, not to kiss his own ass, lick his own boots, or toot his own horn—but he was gorgeous. He had seen this face countless times, but none like this. It was as if he had an omega buff, making him even more beautiful and dainty. His face was soft and delicate, his eyes were round and wide, and his hair was long and thick. Unfortunately, he still suffered from whatever tragedy and trauma he had experienced before System 1230 took over. It'd be impossible to rid his body of the small scars and blemishes, but he was confident he could gain some color and life back in both his face and hair in no time.
"Are you… alright?" Jeonghan asked. He watched from the side with cautious hands, probably ready to take it if Jisoo decided to break it again.
He chuckled. "You don't have to look so nervous."
"Haa… How can I not? You—"
"Do I look beautiful?"
Silence. Jisoo almost started sweating.
"W-What's with that question?" Jeonghan backed away, covering his face. "Of course you are."
Ding!
Your favorability with {YOON JEONGHAN} has increased by 40.
•••
Ding!
[SYSTEM 1230] Task Screen
TASK: The Casanova
DESCRIPTION: Find the baby daddy candidates
Current Candidates: {YOON JEONGHAN}, {WEN JUNHUI}
TIME LEFT: 2d 15h 43m 3s
REWARD:
Unlock the first meeting memory between any candidate of your choice
Time was low, and so was Jisoo's patience. He couldn't help but stress over it. Hell, he didn't even know how many baby daddy candidates there were, and he had to find them all. He could count on both hands and feet the number of streets he had strolled through in hopes of finding someone.
So here he was, at his wits' end, and in the middle of the daycare that Beomgyu had briefly mentioned to him. It wasn't anything official, just children from all over the streets gathered in a home owned by a couple who had three children of their own. By the looks of their estate and courtyard, it was clear that they were a wealthy pair, maybe even nobles. However, they didn't seem to discriminate between the children who were brought to their doorstep for the day.
Jisoo figured that he'd have a chance at finding the other baby daddy candidates here. It was just too convenient. Obviously, that wasn't the case as he stood by the open gates, staring at all the mothers and fathers dropping off their kids. Most of them were omegas and twice his age; he had a feeling that none of them were going to be the father of his daughter, hopefully.
"Hello!"
Someone appeared from inside the estate, waving at him. He joined the man who was already surrounded by children and gave him a quick hug. Even without the screen saying so, Jisoo could tell they were the couple who ran the daycare.
Ding!
NAME: {OH SION}
GENDER: Male (Ω)
AGE: 23
STATUS: Unclear
RELATIONSHIP: Unknown
CAREER: Unknown
LIKES: {LOCKED}, {LOCKED}, {LOCKED}
DISLIKES: {LOCKED}, {LOCKED}, {LOCKED}
FAVORABILITY: 36
Ding!
NAME: {MAEDA RIKU}
GENDER: Male (Ω)
AGE: 22
STATUS: Unclear
RELATIONSHIP: Unknown
CAREER: Unknown
LIKES: {LOCKED}, {LOCKED}, {LOCKED}
DISLIKES: {LOCKED}, {LOCKED}, {LOCKED}
FAVORABILITY: 21
Jisoo squinted his eyes. He glanced at their children too, and they were undeniably theirs; the resemblance was uncanny. It clicked in his head that he really didn't know much about the secondary genders here, and his prior knowledge from the comics he had read in his previous missions wasn't that helpful either. He thought it was only possible for omegas to become pregnant with alphas, though that was clearly not the case here. He'd have to research it, but not now.
"I haven't seen you around before," Sion said. "Are you new to the city?"
"Let's just say that." Jisoo nodded his greeting. He urged Harin, who was beside him, holding his hand, to do the same. He was so engrossed in detecting the next baby daddy that he hadn't noticed his daughter trembling with fear. Her eyes glimmered with excitement as she watched the other children her age run around, yelling and laughing. But she couldn't muster up the courage to even take a step further.
The pair lowered themselves to Harin and grabbed her hands gently. "What's your name?"
"I'm… I'm Harin…"
"What a beautiful name," Riku muttered, chuckling. He remained crouched, talking to her quietly.
Meanwhile, Sion stood up. "What time will you be returning?"
Jisoo furrowed his brows, slightly confused. "What do you mean?"
"You have work, don't you? Most parents leave their children with us until sunset, but we can look after them longer. You'll just have to tell us first."
Right, that was the point of a daycare. Jisoo never thought about it. He never had a child before anyway. "I'll come pick her up before it gets dark."
He reached for the bag around his waist, rummaging for the few coins he had left. Sion quickly stopped him, forcibly holding the drawstring shut so he couldn't bring any money out.
"There's no need, haha. We're doing this out of our goodwill," he said. "My partner and I are well-off, so please don't worry about payments."
Jisoo nodded. He wasn't worried in the slightest.
"Haririn."
Harin looked up at him. In just a few minutes, she was already smiling and less anxious. If anything, she was waiting for him to leave so she could join the other children.
"Where are you going, Papa?"
"I…" Jisoo paused, thinking of a lie. He couldn't say work since anyone with eyes could see that he was in no position to do any labor. "I'm going to see a doctor. I'll be back soon, alright?"
She nodded excitedly, grinning. "Then you'll feel better!"
Jisoo patted her head and quickly nodded his thanks to the couple. He left through the gates and sighed deeply. He wasn't going to a doctor; he didn't even know of one. He was going to find out who fucked him and left him with a child four years ago.
"Alright." He nodded to himself. "Baby daddy number three, here I come—"
•••
Clang!
Jisoo was in jail. The royal jail—dark, damp, and reeking of an unknown stench that worsened his cough by the minute. After a while, he was on the ground and hunched over with a nasty migraine.
Ding!
Your health has decreased by 2. Your current health is now at 14 out of 300.
As if being chronically ill and poor weren't enough, he just had to get jumped in broad daylight and be wrongfully detained. It was like he was on a speed run to see how pathetic and miserable he could get.
There were guards stationed right in front of the cell, yet they paid no mind to him. They didn't have to since he didn't make a scene, not even a single noise.
"You have a physical body, don't you?" Jisoo muttered, staring at The Interface. "You have to."
Ding!
Why, [SYSTEM 1230]?
"Why is the sky blue?" he retorted. "What kind of question is that? Obviously, so I can beat the shit out of you."
Ding!
…
"Seriously, how can almost every one of my hosts be so sad and tragic? Was being sick for the entirety of my life before I became a system not enough?"
Ding!
All these hosts are alternate versions of you, [SYSTEM 1230].
Jisoo glared. "I figured that out ten missions ago."
Ding!
However, it's uncommon for someone's alternate versions to suffer in multiple realities.
Great, so he was just unlucky. In his next and final mission, he hoped at least he'd be healthy—and rich, and gorgeous, and loved by everyone. But of course, beggars can't be choosers.
Jisoo sighed and rested his head on the grimy wall. It must've been at least five years—or five hours, same thing—before someone else showed up at the jail. The sun had already begun to set, and the guards out front were antsy as well.
"Your Highness! Please slow down!"
Unfortunately, Beomgyu appeared. Then, it clicked once Jisoo saw his personal guard by his side, frantically trying to stop him from opening the jail cell.
"Your Highness!" the guard pleaded. "How can you let someone like that be around you?!"
"What the hell are you saying?" Beomgyu furrowed his brows. He had stolen the ring of keys and unlocked the gate, swinging it open.
"Your Highness, he's an omega! And with a child, no less! You'll be embroiled in dirty rumors if you don't distance yourself!" The guard suddenly glared at Jisoo, who couldn't give two fucks. "The way he treats you, a prince, is inappropriate. I've noticed it many times now, Your Highness. I apologize for acting out of your orders. However, I can't tolerate any slander toward you, Your Highness. I've already heard people speculate that his child is yours!"
Amazing. It was incredible how much he talked, and how all of it was incredibly ludicrous.
Jisoo glanced at the screen above the guard's head. The name read “Choi Soobin.” He’d make sure to remember it for next time.
Beomgyu ignored him and helped Jisoo up, grabbing his arm. A bead of sweat fell down his forehead as he imagined the verbal lashings, and probably physical, he'd get later. The two almost threw up at the thought of being mistaken as a couple, let alone parents to a child.
"Your Highness—"
"Enough," he said, sighing. "My brother put you up to this, didn't he? There's no way you could've done this on your own."
Silence.
Now it was more fun. Jisoo wasn't upset about being wrongfully detained anymore; he was now invested in whatever drama was unfolding within the royal family. He almost didn't want to leave, had Beomgyu not forcefully led him outside.
Although he was probably in some corner of the royal grounds, it was clear how grand and magnificent the palace was. It only made him more jealous of System 0313; if only he were a wealthy alpha, whose main concern was chasing after his unrequited love.
"You're really just going to leave?" Jisoo asked. He walked alongside Beomgyu, who had tuned out his guard's incessant rambling. The sight garnered the eyes of passing servants and guards as well; some even tried to speak up, but were quickly shut down by Beomgyu's strange hand gestures. Jisoo couldn't think of a more unfitting person to be a prince if he tried.
"He'll just keep going," he groaned. "I knew he was bothered by it, but he wouldn't have done anything if my older brother hadn't stepped in. Seriously, this entire family has a problem with sticking their noses into my business—actually, speaking of that. You should know my older brother, the crown prince."
"And how the hell would I know the crown prince?"
"He appeared in your last mission."
Jisoo paused. It couldn't have been who he was thinking of, no way. Right?
Beomgyu took his sweet time to finish his sentence, enjoying the expressions on Jisoo’s face. "I recognized him the moment I saw him. He's—"
Ding!
NAME: {LEE SEOKMIN}
GENDER: Male (α)
AGE: 26
STATUS: Ally
RELATIONSHIP: Ex-Lover
CAREER: Scholar
LIKES: {HONG JISOO}, archery, zither
DISLIKES: {HONG EUNJU}, {HONG HYUNJUNG}, {HONG SEONGSU}
FAVORABILITY: 9,429
Jisoo stopped in his tracks. In front of him was an angel with a shining halo above his head.
Ding!
You have found a BABY DADDY CANDIDATE.
Ding!
You have completed The Casanova successfully.
You have unlocked the FIRST MEETING memory between a candidate of your choice.
[SYSTEM 1230], well done!
He'd worry about that later.
Seokmin was more than flustered, and his eyes shook around. Still, he didn't forget to gracefully lower his head and bow to the fourth prince.
Beomgyu's gaze darted between the two—something was going on for sure. The only thing he could do now was leave them be and watch in the shadows; he didn't want to accidentally interrupt Jisoo's mission, but he was still nosy.
"Your Highness—"
"He's gone."
Seokmin raised his head, confused. While his favorability was high, although not as high as Jeonghan's and Junhui's, he had some sort of disdain on his face. He was almost scowling as he stared down Jisoo.
It was strange. According to the original owner's memories, they were together for a while. If anything, Seokmin was the only person out of the three candidates whom he had known for many years. Yet somehow, his favorability was the lowest, and he looked displeased to have reunited. One of his likes was also Jisoo, just like Jeonghan.
Jisoo had a feeling this might be harder than he’d thought. His chest suddenly heated up, aching on the left side. The original owner’s emotions were strong, and before he knew it, a tingle spread across his nose as tears welled in his eyes.
"What are you… doing here?" Seokmin muttered. He maintained a fair distance and kept his hands on the stacks of books in his arms. "You left… why did you come back?"
"What do you mean?" Jisoo said, reaching out for Seokmin's arm. No, he wasn't meant to say that. System 1230 didn't do that; it was as if his body was moving on its own. "You're… the one who left me first, Min."
Notes:
sorry for the longer (?) wait but here's the update!! the next update might take around 5-7 days since i'm moving houses this week and also i'm still sick
anyway let me know your thoughts down below or on my twitter i love reading all the comments (let me know what team you guys are on so far)
joshuaudios on Chapter 1 Sat 23 Aug 2025 04:37PM UTC
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