Even a Man of Many Sorrows Must Clock In
Even if I'd become a guy with a ton of baggage, I still had to go to work.
………… Why hadn't he told her? That Han Sol wasn't his biological daughter.
'Nah, no need to say it. She's my daughter anyway.'
……That seemed to be how Han Kang thought about it. I focused harder, and the emotions buried in his memories seeped into me.
The moment he'd learned Han Sol wasn't his biological daughter was around when she was eight. His ex-wife had barely lifted a finger for the family from the start, leaving him to handle all the childcare alone. So even if she wasn't his blood, he'd poured his heart into raising her.
And that wasn't the end of it. Divorce. In the process, he'd lost 90% of his assets. Most of the money he'd earned risking his life had been stripped away. Of course, there was a damn good reason for getting hit that hard.
Han Kang had stormed the scene of her affair, landing a body blow on his ex-wife that ruptured her organs, then hoisted the adulterer up and shattered his spine with a knee strike to the groin. So……he'd handed over nearly all his property as a settlement and compensation.
Thanks to that, he'd gotten off with a suspended sentence—no jail time, kept his job, everything. (The court had apparently taken some mitigating factors into account. His ex-wife had been vicious enough in bleeding him dry.)
Looking back through Han Kang's memories, he seemed to regard that body blow and knee kick as the best punches of his life. Technically two punches, but still.
Since Han Kang never explained any of this, Han Sol believed her dad had beaten her mom and caused the divorce. That's why she hated him—her dad, Han Kang.
It had felt incredibly satisfying to land those blows on his ex-wife and the adulterer, but in the end, those actions cost him everything. He'd lost his wife, his money, and even Han Sol—who wasn't his biological daughter—had come to despise him.
"Ugh……what a rough life."
An 18-year veteran who'd taken the augmentation serum. A combat agent who fought super villains. But his personal life was utterly wrecked.
And all that remained was—this cramped one-room and two bottles of booze.
'Is this why he loathed himself?'
It made sense. That feeling every time he looked in the mirror. Han Kang had found himself and his life utterly pathetic.
…………
My phone buzzed on the bedside table, the screen lighting up.
"……What now."
The caller ID showed……Lee Jin-ah.
'Who's that?'
The name was unfamiliar, but that was natural. She must be one of Han Kang's contacts. The memory surfaced soon enough.
Special Security Management Bureau, 3rd Operations Team. Operations support officer. In other words……my junior at work.
I hit the call button.
"This is Han Kang."
"Sunbae! You're up?"
Her lively voice drilled straight into my ear and into my brain. Not the right volume for a hangover-heavy head.
"You just woke up, right?"
"……Yeah."
"Knew it! You always set your alarm for exactly five minutes before I call."
"Ah."
"Wash your face, put on your suit, and step out the door at 8:29—you'll make it to work right on time! Oh, you didn't sleep in your suit, did you!?"
'……How does she nail it this precisely?'
I was a little surprised. Then again, it made sense. Han Kang commuted at the exact same time every day. With such a predictable pattern, she'd figured it out.
Still, down to the minute? She must really be paying attention.
'Hmm……'
Memories of Lee Jin-ah sharpened in my mind. 27 years old. Five years as an operations support officer. Unlike Han Kang, who'd gotten the augmentation serum, she was a natural C-rank awakener. Her ability: bio-radar. She could detect the position, heart rate, body temperature, and more of any lifeforms within a certain radius.
Personality: bright and positive. Sweet, sociable, good at her job, gets along well with the team. And she looks after Han Kang. Reminds him when to eat or take painkillers, helps manage his schedule.
Han Kang found comfort in her. He barely talked to his daughter anymore, had few friends, kept distance from colleagues—a lonely middle-aged man. A junior offering kind words meant the world to him.
Of course, he'd never dream of approaching her first. Nearly twenty years age gap. She was just being nice to her senior at work. A middle-aged guy like Han Kang showing interest in a young beauty like her would be inappropriate. One wrong move, and it'd be misinterpreted as a confession—leading to permanent fallout for one of them. Either his suspension or her bolting.
'……That's what he thought, huh.'
Analyzing his psyche from his memories, he had rock-solid self-awareness. But……even so, he was isolating himself way too harshly.
"……Sunbae! You listening?"
Lee Jin-ah's voice came through, a bit pouty now.
'Hmm……'
Time for a thank-you. But how to say it? Grunting a curt "Yeah" like Han Kang always did……eh, maybe not.
I'm not Han Kang. Sure, I'd be influenced, but I couldn't keep living in isolation like he had.
What was my goal here, anyway? Passing the trial. My trial: sharing normal, happy love and seeing it through to the end.
Super abstract, but I was starting to get it. Whether from a lover, or external threats like cartels or reptilians……death would come knocking. Almost certainly. Passing the trial meant overcoming that crisis and claiming love……probably.
Anyway, the conclusion: I couldn't live isolated like the original Han Kang. That'd just lead to dying alone.
So, as Han Kang now, I had to break out of this shell and reach out first.
But that brought a dilemma. Lee Jin-ah on the line was twenty years younger. Suddenly acting friendly with a girl like that……might come off as creepy.
A middle-aged guy being overly nice to a young woman? High chance it'd look bad.
'……Still, too curt is just like before, so moderate it.'
"Yeah, heading to work now. Thanks for waking me."
The line went dead silent the moment I finished.
'……What?'
A short silence that felt weirdly long. Then—
"Sunbae! What's wrong!? You aren't dying, are you!?"
Lee Jin-ah's panicked voice exploded out.
"Just felt like I should say it."
Laughter burst from the other end.
"You scared me! First time you've ever said thanks……thought you had some terminal illness! You know how people suddenly tell their parents they love them and everyone asks if it's cancer?"
"Hmm……."
A simple thank-you was a first for him. Han Kang must've been one stubbornly gruff bastard.
"Get ready and come in. I'll head in first!"
"Got it."
I set the phone down and sighed. Freaking out over one "thanks." Hit home just how stingily he'd been living.
'Anyway……gotta head to work.'
…………
I suited up and stepped out the door. Clock read 8:28. Almost exactly as Lee Jin-ah predicted.
'Pattern's locked in tight.'
Han Kang woke and left at the same time daily. Anyone could predict it. Knowing my exact exit time was impressive, though.
I boarded the subway. Rush hour—packed. Han Kang's build was imposing. 188cm, 95kg. In fighting terms, light heavyweight. Hard cut could drop him to middleweight. Body fat at 11% last week.
Instead of hunting a seat, I stood by the door, staring out the window.
'Special Security Management Bureau Seoul Branch.'
Where I'd be working from today—the place Han Kang had clocked in for 18 years. They hunted villains, but unlike heroes, no costumes, no public faces. The public had no idea who Han Kang was.
Subway stopped. My station. Passed the gates, surfaced.
A gray building loomed ahead. Special Security Management Bureau Seoul Branch. Looked like any office tower. But inside: ironclad security.
Through the entrance, elevator to the sixth floor.
The 3rd Operations Team office spanned a space for about twenty people. Desks in rows, monitors on the walls showing real-time villain sightings.
"Oh, Senior Han Kang."
"Good morning, sir."
A few colleagues greeted me. I nodded back.
"Mm."
Same from both sides. We knew faces since it was the same team, but that was it.
My desk was in the corner. By a window, but no real sunlight.
As I went to sit—
"Sunbae-nim!"
A bright voice rang out.
I turned. There stood Lee Jin-ah. Pale skin, silver hair in braids. Black suit, but it couldn't hide her voluptuous figure.
'……Damn, she's stacked.'
Frankly. Any guy would look.
But Han Kang was a 40s guy—one slip and disaster. I averted my eyes quick.
"You're in! Got coffee for you."
A paper cup on the tray.
"Mm."
I took it, sipped.
'……Ooh.'
This sweetness……two packets of mix coffee. Han Kang's favorite strength. Temperature perfect—not hot, not cold, easy to down. Hitting this temp meant mixing with cold water and adjusting.
Just brewing coffee for a same-office ajusshi was thoughtful enough, but nailing taste and temp? Incredible care.
'What a considerate girl.'
"And this too."
She rummaged in her bag. Two painkillers, one bottle of ion drink.
"You drank last night too! Moderation, please. Your shoulders, back, knees are all shot. Hangover's gotta hurt."
She scolded lightly, dropping the pills in my palm.
"I'll watch it. And thanks."
I took the drink, popped the top, swallowed the pills. Cool liquid slid down my throat.
"Whoa! Thanks again? Finally realizing how grateful juniors can be?"
Lee Jin-ah beamed.
"……."
Maybe it's the twenties vibe. She glowed just standing there.
In my old world, and through four possessions—all in my twenties—I'd never noticed. But through 40s Han Kang's eyes? Crystal clear.
The raw allure of youth was immense. It naturally drew people in.
'Lee Jin-ah's boyfriend is one lucky bastard.'
I didn't know if she had one, but a sweet young thing like her? Bound to.