He rolls his eyes and grumbles about her (valid) point - but when she lays down, he shifts his arm to curl around her back automatically, making sure she has enough space.

The question dissolves his mock-ire, and he's silent for a moment, eyes a distant galaxy as he thinks.

"I did. I..." He licks his lips nervously before he speaks. "I knew I didn't have much time left as myself, so I sat down to read your story one last time. But when I finished, there was a new update - my story. Our story, continuing on. I was able to hold on to keep reading it - and then I read beyond that, to the 1865th."

That story had helped Kim Dokja hold on from completely fading away. In time to hear them knock on the door - and to knock back, once.