Life is Real Combat, You Bastard!

In the heavy silence of the office, only the faint, everyday hum of the distant workspace echoed dimly.

I'd declared our breakup unequivocally, but Seori sunbae didn't seem ready to give up yet. She crawled toward me on her knees. Her stockings must have been scraping painfully against the floor, but she didn't care. Soon, her hand clutched at my pant leg.

"No, no...!"

Her voice was already half-sobbing.

"I was wrong. I'll fix everything. Okay? I won't do it again. Please, please..."

"..."

She looks like a broken doll.

Looking down at her, that's the thought that crossed my mind. Seori sunbae probably didn't even know what she was apologizing for right now. She was just repeating the words like a chant to ward off the reality of our breakup. Like a malfunctioning machine stuck in an endless loop of the same motion.

"Minseo, tell me what I did wrong. I'll fix it. I'll really fix everything."

Her grip tightened. The fabric of my pants stretched under the pull. But she didn't bring up Lee Seoa or the surveillance. She probably never would unless I pointed it out. To her, that wasn't wrong. It was just natural.

Even knowing all that, seeing her desperately clinging like this made a corner of my heart ache faintly. Memories from Han Minseo's past overlapped with the college days—her collapsing in the computer lab, her body so light it shocked me, her flustered face waking up in the infirmary bed and seeing me there. That sunbae had looked just as fragile ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and tormented as she did now.

Something inside me wavered. My resolute decision felt like it was developing a tiny crack.

Maybe... if it were Han Minseo instead of me, he would've folded here and gone back to her.

No, this is a trap.

But I'm not him. Even though I've become Han Minseo, I'm different from who he was. I steeled myself. I couldn't let my resolve weaken now. Seori sunbae had broken up Han Minseo and Park Seoyeon in the past, sabotaged his job hunt, was surveilling me now, and destroyed Lee Seoyeon's life. This woman crying in front of me was responsible for all those atrocities.

I can't let pity sway me.

I hardened my heart again. But I couldn't bring myself to coldly shove her away entirely. Quietly, I crouched down in front of her. She looked up at me in surprise. Her tear-streaked face was right in front of mine. Gently, I pulled her into a hug by the shoulders.

This was the last embrace. A farewell hug.

"...!"

Her trembling stopped. Her rigid body slowly relaxed in my arms. She buried her face in my chest. Her hot breath seeped through my shirt.

"Minseo..."

Her voice carried a thread of hope. She slowly lifted her head to look up at me. Her eyes brimmed with expectation, as if she believed I'd changed my mind and called off the breakup.

I've given her the wrong idea. Sorry, Seori sunbae.

But this wasn't a hug of reconciliation. It wasn't to take back the breakup. It was just a final goodbye.

.........

Still holding Seori sunbae, I opened my mouth. I brought my lips close to her ear and whispered softly.

"Seori sunbae... you've always been too good for me. Way out of my league."

Her body tensed slightly in my arms. But I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠didn't stop.

"I'll cherish the good memories we made together forever."

As my words ended, she slowly raised her head. The hope that had filled her eyes moments ago turned to despair in an instant. Like a light snuffed out.

"Minseo..."

Her lips trembled. She tried to say more, but nothing came out. She knew now too. This embrace wasn't reconciliation—it was farewell. Not a beginning, but an end.

Sorry, sunbae.

I gently pushed her away, careful not to hurt her as much as possible, but firm. She collapsed to her knees right there.

It's over now. Really ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠over.

I stood and headed for the office door. One step, another. The few meters felt like an eternity. I reached for the doorknob. The cold, hard metal pressed into my palm.

And right then.

"Han Minseo."

Seori sunbae called my name. I turned. She was still on her knees. But something had changed. She was looking straight at me now, head held high. Tear tracks remained, but no new tears flowed. Her face was terrifyingly expressionless.

What the hell...?

Was this the same woman who'd been sobbing and begging moments ago? She rose slowly. She brushed the dust from her knees like it was nothing.

Finally, she spoke.

"If you walk out that door, you'll regret it. Guaranteed."

Her voice was ice-cold.

"You're mine anyway."

She took a step closer. Only five steps between us.

"You'll come back to me in the end."

The corner of her mouth twitched up. It was too eerie to call a smile.

Hearing her final declaration, I felt a twinge of disappointment.

Was the crying and clinging all an act?

What about grabbing my pant leg and sobbing? That desperation, those tears—all fake?

No, that couldn't be. Seori sunbae wasn't some lifelong actress; she couldn't fake it that perfectly.

She's in shock, out of her mind. Yeah, that's it.

I convinced myself. The sudden breakup had hit her too hard, driving her to this extreme flip. That was the last shred of sympathy I could muster for her—not wanting to hate or be disappointed.

The Seori from Han Minseo's memories had her warm side too. Twisted and warped as it was, she'd loved him in her own way. I didn't want to deny all that now.

"Take care, Seori sunbae."

I left those final words—sincere farewell. She didn't reply. She just stared. With nothing more to say, I turned, opened the door, and stepped into the hallway. I caught my breath for a moment, then headed to my desk to pack my things.

It was done. Truly done. My relationship with Seori sunbae, our connection.

.........

A week after submitting my resignation, a corner booth at the PC bang near the station became my temporary office. I'd naturally returned the company phone and laptop, so I had no proper device for document work anymore.

I scoured job sites, firing off resumes. I avoided IT. No way to verify if the non-compete clause was real or bluff, and I didn't want the risk.

Other fields aren't bad. A fresh start, right?

I comforted myself as I filled out applications. Marketing, planning, even general office jobs. Salary would tank, but no choice. It'd been inflated by her favors anyway.

Her final words echoed sometimes. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠That cold voice, that creepy blank stare. Honestly, it scared me a bit. If she really retaliated, could I handle it?

Seori sunbae wouldn't go that far. We were lovers once... just emotional outburst. Yeah.

Looking back, my abrupt breakup notice wasn't exactly considerate. If she resented me, I'd understand. But she's rational. In time, she'd get my side and accept the split.

I wanted to believe that.

Ding.

A notification hit my personal email. I clicked absently, then froze at the sender.

A chill ran up my spine. What the hell? With trembling hands, I opened it. The description read in small print: [Core Systems Legal Representative]. I clicked the attachment. A PDF document.

The screen filled with dense legal jargon.

I rubbed my eyes and looked again. No illusion.

"A, a lawsuit?"

I scrolled frantically. The dizzying legalese swirled: trade secret breaches, unfair competition, fiduciary duty violations, contract breaches... Charges went on forever. Things I'd never done, listed as truth.

And at the bottom...

The damages amount.

₩3,000,000,000 (Three Billion Won)

"What...?"

Breath caught in my throat. I forced deep breaths, stared again. The number didn't change. Three billion. Even selling everything, working my whole life—I couldn't pay it.

"This... this can't be real."

But the documents looked legit. Court seals, case numbers—not some phishing scam.

Seori sunbae's final words replayed.

It wasn't an emotional outburst. A warning. And now, that warning had become reality.