Loneliness Is My Companion

[GSGW/GCDG part 3, chapter 384 spoilers]

KSE really doesn't say much in response to Choi.

But also, internal narration wise, holy-shit does Choi seem to make him experience every emotion under the sun and he constantly constantly has to remind himself not to get swept away and forget his ultimate goal is to go home.

Choi also truly seems to be the one who gets him to stop 'playing roles' and burst out with his real feelings quite often. There are always extenuating circumstances (he's stressed, he's a child) but most of the outbursts so far, where he's a bit surprised at having said that after, are with Choi.

Interested to see how this the Big Fumbles will go in detail.

(Also GYE's pov on KSE is soooo fucking funny. In front of her, KSE generally 'stops pretending' a lot, but his persona so strong that GYE is left staring at KSE saying wacko stuff about how he's more of a paperwork guy and ohhh he's so scared and ohhh that's just a coincidence and ohhh but we GOTTA save those people that's LOGICAL. Is he lying? Is he crazy? No, he's too competent, he has to be just blatantly lying and acting the fuck up, right?!)

(Also I think she definitely has a very mild hint of jealousy in her about KSE being the top recruit. GYE gives me the vibes of someone who is used to being top of the class until recently, so I feel she often has a mild hint of that in her always when dealing with KSE (in the beginning at least) IIRC she brought up being one of the top 3 recruits, and then usually KSE's top recruit status is something she often brings up when thinking of KSE.)

Autism be damned my boy Soleum can work a grill 🗣️🗣️🗣️

Contains mild Part 2 spoilers!!

Quick briefing: Kim Soleum is the protagonist of GDCG/GSGW! He reads the Darkness Exploration Records Wiki (similar to the SCP Wiki) in which there are ghost stories and characters who clear the ghost stories. The ghost stories in the DER Wiki are able to "contaminate" individuals, oftentimes leading to death or assimilation into the ghost story. The wiki is split into the three main factions: Daydream Inc., a corrupt company; Disaster Management Bureau, the government; and the Church of the Luminous Unknown, a cult.

Kim Soleum starts off in Daydream Inc. where the competition is fierce from the get-go. The main incentive to climb to the top is to receive the elusive Wish Ticket, which can grant the user their wish. Kim Soleum's wish is to return home. In the company, he is assigned the Roe Deer mask.

1. Baek Saheon

Baek Saheon is a named individual in the Darkness Exploration Records (DER) Wiki. In the Wiki, he is known to be selfish and ruthless–oftentimes sacrificing people for his own survival.

Later on, when Kim Soleum adopts a different identity as a Disaster Management Bureau agent, he saves Baek Saheon from the source of his trauma. As the story progresses, Agent Grapes (Kim Soleum) continues to be kind to others, giving Baek Saheon hope that kindness doesn't always lead to bad endings. He ultimately changes Baek Saheon's personality because he's too kind.

2. Kim Soleum's Personality

Throughout GDCG/GSGW, Kim Soleum is depicted to be a cowardly, yet kind individual. Despite being an avid reader of the DER Wiki, he can't handle horror–at least, not visualized.

However, he constantly looks out for others, even if he's inherently afraid of ghost stories.

His superior, Lee Seonghae–an individual with a strong moral compass–even describes him as a fundamentally "good person".

For Lee Seonghae, whose wish is to rid the world of bad people, this is a massive compliment to give.

Also, our Grapes-ie is very humble! He doesn't really believe in himself despite everything he's done...

3. Team D

Team D is the squad Kim Soleum is assigned to in Daydream Inc.. Throughout the novel, they are shown to trust him with their lives. In this merciless company full of Baek Saheons, a good team is hard to come by.

The team leader, Lee Jaheon, is oftentimes viewed as a father by the GDCG/GSGW fandom. In the image below, Kim Soleum is contaminated. When Kim Soleum keeps putting off visits to the counselor to fix his contamination, Lee Jaheon intervenes and gives him the help he needs.

Ultimately, Team D has a family-like bond, with everyone looking out for each other to make sure they survive until the very end!

4. Hyunmoo Team 1

Hyunmoo Team 1 consists of Agent Bronze, Agent Choi, and Agent Grapes (Kim Soleum). It is one of the teams in the Disaster Management Bureau.

After being presumed dead for one month, Kim Soleum can't return to Daydream Inc. the normal way. And so, he goes to a certain director to ask if he can join their project team. They accept and tell him to infiltrate the Disaster Management Bureau.

Despite both Agent Choi and Agent Bronze suspecting Agent Grapes of espionage, Agent Grapes' willingness to save people wins them over, and they accept him as their hoobae.

In fact, even after Agent Grapes is revealed to be a spy, the Hyunmoo agents don't stop treating him as their hoobae. After learning of Agent Grapes' wish, one of the agents–Agent Bronze–offers to create a home for him in the Bureau.

Just like that, Agent Bronze, an uptight person, breaks the rules for the first time to give their youngest a chance to stay.

5. Braun

Braun is the TV Show Host that possesses the pink bunny keychain Kim Soleum carries around everywhere. He frequently helps Kim Soleum in return for entertainment. He dubs Kim Soleum "Good Friend".

Later on, Braun kidnaps Kim Soleum to work on his TV Show. (+1 Job...)

6. Blue Dragon Mascot (Yongyong)

Yongyong is Kim Soleum's "adoptive father" and works as a theme park mascot in one of the darknesses Kim Soleum has entered. Like Lee Seonghae, Yongyong has a strong moral compass and hates people who do bad deeds. Yongyong calls Kim Soleum "Good Child" because he had saved multiple people during his exploration of the darkness Yongyong resides in. Yongyong wants to make the theme park Kim Soleum's home and oftentimes asks him to visit.

7. Qterw-A-1845 (The Black Cat)

Kim Soleum turns into a cat. Who doesn't want to adopt a scared, pitiful kitten?

Please Vote for Kim Soleum!

He is very kidnappable, adoptable, and employable!

Maybe you've been asked this before but... How do you think an AU about KDJ being sent to the 2nd regression instead would go?

(list becomes even more crack as it goes on. i'm sorry in advance 😓)

- Would KDJ end up coddling YJH (at least a bit)? Because to him, this YJH is practically a baby and hasn't been traumatized yet by the horrors of the OG 2nd turn (not that KDJ would discard the bad stuff that happened in the 1st turn but like... How much does KDJ even know about that one...)

- YJH being happy about having someone he feels that he can really rely on, only to end up feeling like their companionship isn't equal because KDJ keeps taking things on by himself and not trusting YJH enough (even more than in canon, since KDJ isn't as familar with YJH's abilities and personality from before the 3rd round.) (although he does think KDJ taking charge is kind of hot)

- KDJ absolutely gatekeeping Anna Croft from meeting YJH. (It takes him a while to accept that this AC hasn't actually done anything terrible to YJH yet, but he can't ignore the fact that this person is capable of doing it in the first place)

- Since this YJH is actually open to romance/sexual relations... Would he openly pursue KDJ? Not that KDJ would easily accept that...

- Someone manages to ask KDJ about romantic relations and he replies with a big fat NO (everyone glances at YJH with pity)

- KDJ, the hypocrite that he is, trying to matchmake YJH and LSH, oblivious to the fact that he sunk the ship himself thoroughly

- LSH watching these two idiotic men with the same wonder one would watch a nature documentary about unusual mating rituals

- On a sadder note, 41!SYS breaking down, thinking that her journey was for naught because KDJ has more info on the scenarios than she does. KDJ didn't want her to find out (but she did anyway, not sure how) and still wants to invite her to their group. Sure, he knows she would have killed herself to help YJH but he didn't want that kind of ending for her at all. Unfortunately, the constellations who hate his ass are petty and they still ended up fighting her.

- KDJ's heart nearly stops whenever he hears Asmodeus' name mentioned in YJH's vicinity.

- NGMY teasing YJH on his motivations for learning her swordsmanship. (He wants to make KDJ see and accept him as an equal who can stand by his side you see)

- YMA calls KDJ 'stupid ahjussi' for not seeing her brother's obvious feelings. At the same time, she keeps telling her brother to use words 'to help drive it into stupid ahjussi's thick skull'

- SP still jealous. 2nd turn kkoma having mixed feelings about his child becoming nonexistent (though thankful that at least he won't see it die again)

- KDJ figuring out early that YJH's abilities are suspicious because there's no way he should be this skilled this early. Same with his knowledge on scenarios. Why is YJH mentioning info that he should only come to know in later regressions or at least after learning about them from 41!SYS?

- HSY mourning that she totally could have made YJH her pawn after confirming he's in his 2nd turn. (She gets humbled by KDJ immediately after)

- YSA and JHW assessing how good of a lover YJH could be for KDJ. LSK is less critical since she knows this YJH has yet to become the bastard of the 3rd turn that her son gushed to her about all those years ago

- LJH trying to wingwoman for her master (to questionable results; Uriel is her accomplice)

- LGY being even more disapproving of YJH

- LHS patting YJH on the shoulder in camaraderie for being men in love with oblivious people

- SYS quietly watching everything go down

- Unexpectedly, GPD tries to give advice as a (divorced?) man???

- KDJ: Why is HMO giving me pitying glances??? (YJH is suspiciously clenching his fists nearby in horknee)

- JHY being more disillusioned with KDJ than she already was because how can her idol DKOS be this oblivious? Further evidence that they totally are not the same person

- Persephone not even giving KDJ other options when talking about marriage prospects. In contrast, LSK mentions other people specifically to mess with YJH

- Hades already thinking up of trials (personal scenarios) to subject YJH to to prove his worth (Persephone happily indulges her husband).

- Kyrgios takes a more hands-on approach (challenging and beating up YJH as 'training'; NGMY shrugs with a smirk when YJH asks her what the hell this tiny man's problem is)

- SWK trying (and failing) to be nonchalant about giving his blessing as KDJ's older brother

- Uriel already planning the ceremony (she'll officiate the wedding herself; no one else will take the opportunity away from her)

- ABFD may or may not have become homophobic from the UST

- Surya offers a ride on his train for the honeymoon (KDJ: What honeymoon?). MPM offers to sponsor it (KDJ: what?)

- The Korean constellations prematurely giving congratulations and thoroughly confusing KDJ (YJH implied he'll step up to become Biyoo's other parent — the next step in their relationship(?))

- The Fate imposed on KDJ is that they'll have a divorce. KDJ is still baffled

- Upon getting memories of the 0th turn, YJH gets pissed about KDJ successfully getting him married to LSH, even when it was obvious he was too hung up on him (DKOS) even then

- space adventure = (un)certified wife chasing (they still need to actually do the wedding) (this implies they got divorced before marrying...)

(idk anymore i haven't slept all night)

if you managed to read all the way though that, thank you

genuinely feels like this sums up so many online interactions

(and also all caps because this chapter aaaaaaa im crying)

(and also less of an analysis and just me being insane)

AGENT BRONZEEE I LOVE YOU JAEKWAN IS TRULY LIVING UP TO HIS STATUS AS MY FAVORITE CHARACTER (ASIDE FROM SOLEUM, AND RECENTLY CHOI) FROM THE VERY MOMENT THAT HE STARTED TRADING WITH HIM IN THE SALMON MARKET.

[ Personal stories are pouring into my ears. The past of a person that is not recorded on the wiki.

No, not a person.

'Bronze Agent.'

A story from an acquaintance.]

I AM SO UNWELL OVER THIS YOU DONT UNDERSTAND HAHAHDHSHIAHENDBSHAHAHHAHAAHHAHAA ASIDE FROM J3, HE'S THE SECOND PERSON HE'S REFERRED TO AS AN ACQUAINTANCE. NO LONGER A CHARACTER OR A PERSON, BUT SOMEONE WHO'S GOTTEN THROUGH ALL THE WALLS HE'S BUILT UP TO SHIELD HIMSELF FROM THE PAIN OF LEAVING SOMEONE HE CARES ABOUT BEHIND AND WHO WOULD, NO MATTER WHAT, DIE BECAUSE OF THE DAMN PROPHECY (which ill make a proper post of later because wtf soleum just casually dropped that bomb on us??????)

my man's officially the closest to kse besides jaheon and braun im so happy i always knew you'd get there eventually babygirl

hyunmoo team 1 is family and i will die on this hill

["I don't necessarily expect Agent Grape to be that certain. But I'd like you to thi nk about it."

"......."

"Can that be possible?"

I nodded very slowly.

And the glass wall reflected nothing.

truth.

A small smile of relief spread across the bronze agent'

's face.

"Okay. That concludes today's interrogat ion."

"......."

"I hope you get a good rest today."

I can't believe it either.

What are you answering now that you ar e considering it?]

RJK: purehearted idealist w strong sense of justice & (somewhat naive view of) right vs wrong... puppy crush, experiencing first love😭

"Bronze-ie, we might... be in a predicament, haha..ha..." Agent Choi muttered nervously as his hand nears the sheath of his Jakdu.

The mannequins were closing in on them, and fast. The trees were not helping.

In responce, Agent Bronze spoke in a serious tone that held both dread and hope, "..I... I may have something that could help us."

Something?

Agent Choi waited for his junior, though the anticipation was eating him alive.

"..well?"

"give me a moment..." Agent Bronze hurried to take out something from his jacket. A... can of grape soda.

?

Agent Bronze held it up to the sky, "Soleum? Are you there? We need your help."

??

From no where, a doll suddenly descended, held up by red strings. It delightfully took the can with both of its stubby hands. It was quite literally the size of the soda can.

"Agent Bronze... y-.. you mean that thing is gonna help us?" That small thing barely the height of three apples? Was that an item? Another ghost story?

Then, the doll looked at the surrounding mannequins, the trees that were moving every so slightly with the steps of the mannequins....

"..?!"

And then it shrieked.

"HIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEKKK!!!"

Both agents winced. Agent Choi and the 2 civilians they were trying to save covered their ears while Agent Bronze caught the can that the doll dropped in its fright.

The mannequins exploded, shattering into pieces. Even when the doll had stopped and covered its eyes, the shriek echoed in multiplications.

"Everyone, close your eyes!"

Agent Bronze instructed.

When they all closed their eyes, there was a moment when the screech continued, and then it was abruptly cut off.

One of the civilians reopened their eyes. "We-we're back!"

Agent Choi opened his eyes and looked at Agent Bronze with an incredulous expression.

Agent Bronze handed the soda can back to the doll with an apologetic expression, "sorry, Soleum. There was no other safe way out."

The doll accepted the can with what looked to be a miserable pout, before the red strings pulled it up, marking its leave.

"...."

"..."

"Bronze-ie...."

The man had the gall to avoid his gaze and instead went to talk to the civilians.

Yeha. Just the concept of KSE as a doll from the skies that just. Comes down. When offered stuff. And then he'll tell you how to escape and stuff, but there's a chance he passes out, cries, or well, shrieks.