The Next Great Love Story

Doyoung would like to think he was walking at the edge of the world in search of love story that could make the heart of the one reading wrenched in agony the way the son of Montague and and the daughter of Capulet's affair ended; or the story that could make the reader thirst to experience happiness to the point that letting that fated person go, he won't dare say 'Tomorrow's another day' like Scarlett O'Hara because another day without love is a day not worth living; or the tale that could make a person realize he is born to love and with just that power alone, he can build a Taj Mahal.

Doyoung seeks to 'wordily' the feelings and make a legend.

He wants to find the next great love story.

So at least in words, people can fall in love.

So maybe, in words, he can finally fall in love.

He fidgets over his coin purse for spares to pay for his vice: the classic chocolatey bar of heavens. He sighs as he walks the pavement, wondering about his life, how it was decorated with a lot of achievements.

At the age of 26, he was revered as the best rookie editor, even transcending what the title means to the point were Doyoung himself discovers talented sci-fi and fantasy authors. As the son of a publishing house owner, he had it easier. Getting assigned to much renowned writers, it was only natural that the works he edits would sell comparably well than his colleagues. He was sure fed of it, dropped the better half of his writers and introduced to the world (and the nerds) the next JJ Tolkien in the name of Mark Lee, a 'kid' (as he addresses him) with the most laughable awkward aura. Doyoung saw the innate artist in him, when he ordered his to-go, and a decent (in his opinion, handsome on most's) handed him soubrettes with the most eye-burning handwriting yet contains an epic battle between a leagues of the same empire from different parallel universe. He turned 'Mark Lee' to Korea's Stan Lee and that marks the beginning of projects, more novels, comic and currently - a movie adaptation. The Laser Factory. He smiles at how his talents call him because he loves the soft glows in printed leaves than the harsh beams of spotlights.

"You should stick to science fiction." His boss, his own father, dead panned. His smile fall down remembering how his father reacted upon submitting a manuscript for the 12th time this month - but this time, a product of his own imagination.

It was a short romance, fleshed out of his mind but he still thinks he . (Even the down-to-earth and docile colleague and mystery editor, Ji Hansol described his romance prowess as 'juicy as cheap ')

He blames it on his heart.

He never experienced the sparks.

In any case, his heart that does not race nor flutter triple time.

Sometimes, he wonders if he was human, or if he has a heart to begin with.

Only the lit by the street lamp, he studies his ring, finding the right one among the messy, cramped up keys to unlock his gate when he noticed something blue and glossy lying on the road. He picked it up, entered, settled comfortably on his sofa, chowed in his microwaved take-out, then began flipping the pages.

At the surface were no name but a single letter: J. The grid pages and mathematical symbols made him dizzy. He wanted to throw it away and let this J person suffer for losing his notes.

Just as he was about to trash it, he recognizes the words 'kisses' and 'love' in the neatest curves.

He flipped from the back when all the scribbles starts and started reading.

He didn't sleep that night.

He read it all.

Despite the lack of rest, Doyoung found himself rejuvenated. Everyone in the office seemed to notice this. Doyoung seemed to be brighter, if it was even possible. Even Mark notice something but he still look confused.

His work load seemed lighter too, being that jam-packed compared to his normal days.

Maybe he was in love, in love with the story.

The story wasn't that clean and the diction was poor in his professional discretion but the backbone of it enthralls him to the point were he can say he's in love with the way the protagonist, 'J' (he laughs at how obvious the author is) loves 'Yong'.

At first glance, the plot was haywire, as if everything is just a series of drabbles all in J's point of view. Every cuts were displayed in different setting, time period, and alternate universe only to tied up to a dream and a wake up call. It is a rough ore but Doyoung knows a diamond awaits to be uncovered.

Not yet love, maybe a crush…on the story…

Crazy…

After the publishing cycle, his relaxed days soon shined. He's retiring early so he'll do the next best thing after smelling the scent of freshly printed books: to sleep. In two blocks, he'll be there at his door steps but he took a detour because he was mugged. The guy was lean and swift, not to mention tall so his strides were wide but Doyoung was determined to outrun the offender because he stole 'the next great love story'.

Doyoung was huffing but he still smirked when he realized that the thief trapped himself.

"Give it back, kid." Doyoung commanded.

The other guy with the craggy exterior, tall and on par with his, looked terrified. "B-but t-this is mine." He stuttered, holding the notebook near his heart.

He didn't know what have gotten to him when he enclosed 'J' in a bear hug. "So you are 'J'?" He was too overjoyed that he didn't let the protesting boy break away.

He found the one who wrote the next great love story.

He found the one who loves the 'love' he loves.

Upon knowing a thing or two about 'J', he didn't stop bugging the boy who refuses to be the next big story teller Doyoung claims he'll be.

According to experience, that's how it always goes, his authors were the reluctant but Doyoung is that persistent that he'll leech you off until they had no option but to comply.

Doyoung had an arsenal of tricks up his sleeves, surely he'll come around.

But he didn't.

Jung Jaehyun, a 21 year old already half way to his bachelor in engineering, had an iron resolved. He said he wrote just for fun, and it was crap and if the Men In Black magic-erase-a-memory-in-a-click stick does exists, he have already abused it on the editor.

The boy lives fatefully next door so he had no reason to be lazy not to pay a visit but all he got was nothing less cold than 'Mind your own business.' and a face to match.

Doyoung almost had the chance to be in the world of romance, not just in the literature world but also in an emotional level.

It was the nearest he felt of love and sadly, involuntary servitude and blackmail are all criminal offenses.

Doyoung grasps at the last straw not until he saw Jaehyun, but this time, he wasn't serving the scowls and almost unibrow. He was smiling. He was beaming, gloriously. And with those dimples, he can't help himself but to give those fat cheeks some pinching. He was smiling down on another guy. He must be 'Yong'. He thought.

Baby Jaehyun seems to fit him.

From the glasses outside, he would conclude 'Yong' is not your typical eye candy. His crystal eyes were alive in every sense, his cheeks and jaws are an artisan's piece. Jaehyun had an exquisite taste. Doyoung was in awe at how Jaehyun looks at 'Yong'. Yes, there was some sort of distance, and a weird omnipotence in Jaehyun's part, but Doyoung adores everything between 'J' and 'Yong.'

"Creep." Doyoung snaps out of the 'zone' when he felt someone nudge him and accusing him of  unwanted spying.

It's Jaehyun without dimples. It's y Jaehyun again, much to his dismay.

"Ey there, kiddo. Who's that?" He pointed subtly at the guy who's left alone in one of the booths.

"Taeyong?" Doyoung mentally squealed.

"So he is 'Yong', right?" He asked without breaks and he could see the boy is taken aback of his boldness.

"Why are so hellbent on that garbage?" Jaehyun was about to walk away again, ready to dismiss without any real progress.

"Hang in there, kid. I'll help you with your 'Yong'. Just let me work with your story. Sounds good, eh?"

"You'd do anything?"

"Minus the things that w