Archive of Our Own ^beta

"Are you alright, oppa?"

Yoo Joonghyuk never understood his little sister. They were supposed to be related but he didn‘t understand her way of thinking.

Since the first regression Yoo Mia had changed a lot. For example she was extremely afraid of people (except for him of course) during the first regression. She never talked to anyone except him. She had always stayed near him and made sure he was never away.

Yoo Joonghyuk didn’t mind it at all since he could protect her more easily that way. This behavior changed in the second regression. She started talking to people like Jihee and Seolwha (and really Yoo Joonghyuk was happy that she felt more comfortable around them), but he couldn’t help, but ask himself what it was that changed her behavior so much.

Now in the third regression she teases a lot more (A specific squid was probably to blame for that) and was also more confident in her abilities. But Yoo Joonghyuk could catch something else in her eyes. She always seemed… sad. As if she would pity him.

Yoo Joonghyuk didn‘t understand his sister and maybe he never will.

"Why are you asking?"

"You seem down. Did that squid-ahjussi do something again?"

Yoo Joonghyuk had to suppress a grin at that comment, but of course Yoo Mia noticed.

"He is really stupid you know."

"He didn‘t do anything, it‘s fine."

Yoo Joonghyuk answered that, but if he was honest with himself he knew it wasn‘t true.

"Squid-ahjussi really has to stop doing stupid things."

Yoo Mia muttered.

Another thing weird about Yoo Mia‘s behavior in this round was Kim Dokja. She is always very skeptical of new people and doesn‘t trust them at all, but she trusted Kim Dokja completely.

"Oppa has horrible taste."

Yoo Joonghyuk turned his head after hearing that. The faintest of a blush visible on the tips of his ears. Normal people would miss it but Yoo Mia? She knew all her brother‘s habits.

"What is it oppa?"

She asked after noticing, watching her oppa‘s reaction carefully.

"It‘s nothing."

—————————

Demon king of salvation.

A modifier yet unknown to this world line. It didn‘t exists yet, so of course nobody knew it. Well almost no one.

Yoo Mia never understood her older brother. They were supposed to be related but she didn‘t understand his way of thinking.

They should have been happy. They were all happy. They all were, except for her brother. He can be a real nuisance sometimes.

A perfect run. Something her oppa of now dreamed of. They had a perfect run thanks to a constellation with the modifier 'demon king of salvation'. They were taken by his hand and practically flew through the scenarios.

Yoo Mia was grateful to the constellation for that. She really was, but her brother was more than grateful. He had lived a good life. He was ready to die. Yoo Mia knew that, which was why she always followed her oppa around just in case.

It just came that one day he talked to the Demon King of Salvation. Yoo Mia had been there, listening to her brother who asked the constellation for the suffering he was now living through.

Yoo Mia knew of the regression stigma, she knew of the point of that journey and she didn‘t understand how her brother could do that for one person.

What she understood though, was that the Demon King of Salvation wanted to help her brother. She understood that her brother was ready to go through immense suffering just for the love of this constellation.

She didn‘t stopped him as he started his journey, but just quietly cried in her hiding place.

When her brother had completely vanished she had come out and started talking to the constellation.

"Demon King of salvation."

[The constellation, Demon King of Salvation, is shocked to see the incarnation Yoo Mia]

Yoo Mia took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

"You are sending oppa away, right?"

[The constellation, Demon King of Salvation, is looking at the incarnation Yoo Mia quietly]

The silence spoke more than words. Yoo Mia let out a sad chuckle looking up at the sky. No star was visible. Not even the one she currently talked to.

"Oppa sure is great. But he also can be such an idiot sometimes."

[The constellation, Demon King of Salvation, is agreeing that the incarnation Yoo Joonghyuk is an idiot.]

"But we still both love him, don‘t we? He is such a lovable person."

The Demon King of Salvation didn‘t answer, but Yoo Mia knew she was right.

"Let me go with him."

Yoo Mia suddenly spoke, startling the constellation.

[The constellation, Demon King of Salvation, is shocked and asks what you mean by that]

"Well oppa will be all alone if this continues. So can‘t I go with him?"

[The constellation, Demon King of Salvation, doesn‘t think that that‘s possible]

"Why?"

Yoo Mia could feel her heart clenching and her stomach starting to ache. If she wouldn‘t go with him, how could her oppa survive all on his own?

[The constellation, Demon King of Salvation, says that it would change the course of the story if you were send with him]

"I would change the course of the story?"

…

"Then can’t I just not interfere? The story won‘t change if I act like it‘s my first time, right?"

…

"Please let’s at least try? I don’t want oppa to go alone."

Yoo Mia could feel her heart pounding painfully in her chest, but she felt a spark of hope blooming in her, since the constellation wasn’t instantly denying her claim.

[The constellation, Demon King of Salvation, says that he can try but not promise anything]

"That‘s alright."

Yoo Mia smiled.

[The constellation, Demon King of Salvation, is asking to become your sponsor]

Yoo Mia quickly pressed the accept button. She could hear a comforting voice shortly after that.

"You have to act like you don‘t know anything or there could be serious consequences."

Yoo Mia didn‘t knew why, but the voice made her feel relieved. It was a gentle and kind voice. The kind who belonged to the kindest kind of person.

[Stigma, regression partner, is blooming]

"I guess that means we have to say goodbye."

"Yes…"

Yoo Mia suddenly remembered her oppa‘s words.

"Demon King of Salvation."

…

"I also shall pray that you continue to exist somewhere too."

These were her last words before she completely vanished, following her brother into the hell of eternity.

It was painful. There was no way it wouldn‘t be. Yoo Mia knew what she had gotten into when she asked for this. 1864 regressions…

…

She didn‘t know what had happened. She had lived through the second round together with her oppa and entered the third round. But the third round was… different.

There was an anomaly in this round. A man with a smug smile who idly enough reminded Yoo Mia of a squid.

Yoo Mia didn‘t understand at first. How could she? There was never someone like him even in the 0th round.

But that changed when she heard his voice for the first time.

This was the 1864th regression. She didn‘t understand how it happened, but she understood that her oppa would reach his goal in this round.

So Yoo Mia watched, just like she always did with a feeling of peace.

She watched her brother and her sponsor being oblivious, devoted fools for each other. And felt the warmth she had missed for two regressions blooming in her chest once again.

Yes, this was right.