Yjh has been on kdj's mind ever since highschool days. While he was living a sad life, enduring bullying and surviving thanks to one daily update of his favorite novel, yjh already started getting noticed as an ability user and making a name for himself.

'The Punisher', they called him after the handsome teen appeared seemingly out of nowhere and took care of the villains around Seoul. Kdj happened to stumble across one of the videos a bystander took of yjh's fight, and instantly became mesmerized by this real life protagonist.

"He looks dead inside" hsy once said while looking over his shoulder at his phone, before popping the lemon lollipop back into her mouth and turning to her laptop. "He does not." kdj defended, and looked at the Punisher's face, currently taking an interview. Fuck. He really did.

That's when they started. The small thoughts, incessantly bugging kdj. He already knew that yjh was a psychopath with many anger management issues, but him being depressed was a completely different worry. What made him like that, and what could kdj do about it?

"I'm going to become this country's top villain." Hsy, his best friend and a recruit of SPf(special police force) just like yjh, pinched the bridge of her nose. "You will what?" "Hear me out." kdj started. "You said it yourself, that guy lacks motivation, yeah?"

"So? Leave the rest of his fanbase to motivate him." "He doesn't give a shit about his fanbase and you know it." hsy clicked her tongue which was as good as an affirmation. "Listen, he's like this because he's always winning.

He solves so many cases but none of those guys can match him; of course he'd feel tired of life if all he does is run from one side of the city to the other to basically take care of toddlers." "Are you seriously complaining about how efficient the department is?"

"Yes." kdj quickly changed his words after seeing her face. "No. I'm complaining about the efficiency of those so called villains." "What can you do about it? Yjh will break your skinny self in no time." kdj: not with my ability he won't hsy: your what? kdj: oh, didn't I tell u

Hsy finds out for the first time that her best friend was an awakener too. His ability Bookmark allowed him to copy a set number of abilities for an indefinite time. He could replace them with new ones, but then he'd have to copy the old ones again if he wanted them back.

"Why don't you just join SPF recruits? You'll meet your beloved Punisher then." "It's not the same thing." kdj huffed. "I wouldn't fight him in that case, right? Except during training, when he'd still have to hold back. Besides, you worry about an ally but not for an enemy."

hsy was visibly getting more and more frustrated. "Then what, you'll start killing people just so that guy can blow off some steam? Did you even thought this through??" kdj: relax, no one will get hurt! hsy: *a bit relieved* kdj: I'll attack only yjh!! hsy: ...

So, as hsy didn't manage to put some sense into him, kdj's training started. He finished it at 20. When hsy and yjh formally joined the SP department for awakened people, kdj's 'debut' as a villain started too.

By the age of 25, his ability that copied the power of a villain who could make wings and horns grow out of his back and respectively forehead earned him the nickname of 'Demon King', and the second one 'Salvation' after multiple occasions when he rescued civilians.

People were still confused as to why a supposed villain who kept attacking the top Awakener would help civilians, and theories about a personal grudge spread. They were also wondering how Salvation always knew yjh's location and when he was alone. The answer to that was...hsy.

It was a deal they made when he first started showing up as a villain. kdj: "All you'd have to do is tell me his location, and maybe make sure the other team members aren't there." hsy: "There's no way in hell-" kdj: "Or you could give back those 20,000won you owe me."

hsy: "Yjh's location? No problem, leave it to me. I'm the one who makes all the planning so I can get him all alone for you." Corruption at its finest. In the last five years Salvation and Punisher fought against each other more times than one can count. Kdj was very satisfied.

To be completely honest, it was hard for kdj's simp self to focus when sometimes during fights yjh happened to grab his waist or neck, but at least he was wearing a mask so no one could see him blushing. It was also worrisome that there had been a few occasions when-

other villains interfered so he and yjh had to fight together in order to fend them off, or that there were times they got stuck together in the same lair and worked together to escape, or rescued civilians... But in the rest they were each other's worst enemy, so it was fine!!

The determination in yjh's eyes as he tried to capture him assured kdj that his role was working just as intended! All seemed to go well and dandy until... ...until yjh's interview.

[Salvation is not a threat.] Kdj blankly pressed repeat, hearing the man's short and decisive reply once more. On the screen, yjh's arms were crossed and his eyes closed, as if what he just said was common knowlege even babies should know. Kdj's world was shattering around him.

Yjh didn't consider him a threat... then why did he go along with the fights for so long? Was he just playing? Did he see Salvation like a child throwing a tantrum for attention? In the end, he didn't manage to change anything. He was one of the many weaklings yjh had to-

take care of, not an enemy of equal standing... "For fuck's sake, how long are you going to mope around?" After the fourth week of a monotone salaryman life, hsy lost her temper. Her mental health worried him sometimes. Will she even find someone who can handle her like this?

"You're not even looking at me and I can tell you're thinking of something insulting, bastard. I didn't know villains had vacations. Are they paid? I might switch sides." "...Not a vacation." kdj mumbled with his cheek squished by the pillow. His thumb scrolled on the phone.

"Aren't you happy? You always complain about how much work you have because of me." Hsy rolled her eyes. "Not like you ever cared. And that was better than seeing this disgusting soulless look on both your faces." "Both?" kdj stood up. "What's wrong with yjh?"

"What do you think it is!!" Kdj blinked before laying back down. "It can't be related to Salvation. You heard him, he's not a threat." "Oh my god... He meant that generally, you dumbass! You should be glad police isn't after your ass because of his statements!"

"Sooyoung-ah. It's okay, you don't need to try to make me feel better. I'm done with the whole 'Salvation' thing. With yjh too." "Kim Dokja..." her eyebrows furrowed. "You're saying that as if you didn't scroll through 'Punisher shirtless pics' for the last hour." ...damn her.

Age 28, two years after 'Salvation' stopped showing up. Having no new news to focus on, people began looking at his past appearances and they somehow got to the conclusion that he was actually just simping for the top Awakener. They even created a fandom for shipping them.

At the same time yjh looked more dead and irritable with each passing month, and the PunisherxSalvation fans felt great sadness for their doomed love, crying out for Salvation to come back. There were even fics about how Salvation must've died in yjh's arms after confessing.

In all this time, it was probably hsy who suffered the most. She was sitting right between dumb and dumber after all. Of course, kdj had no idea of everything going on. He tried his best to bury the past and live a normal life, only checking the news about yjh from time to time.

But fate had, as always, a bad sense of humor. The subway train rattled ominously, and kdj started praying in his head to please be nothing more than a su*cide. Of course, he had no such luck. Clay monsters that vaguely resembled giant rats started breaking into the train,