……Happy Ending? …………
……Happy ending? ……………
Kang Haneul crawled across the floor. Dragging her right leg, gone below the knee, and propping herself up with her hands. She inched toward me, leaving a trail of blood smeared behind her.
"Yujin-ah, this wound will heal soon enough……."
Her hand slapped against the floor.
"If you want, I can cut off my leg over and over. So please……just a little……forgive me, okay?"
Her hand reached for my ankle.
"You're insane……."
My body froze. My heart pounded wildly, my breath caught in my throat, my limbs turned ice-cold. Terror. This was a terror response. I was terrified of this Kang Haneul right now. The woman who had sliced off her own leg, bled out, and was still smiling through it all.
I couldn't even tell if this was the Kang Haneul I knew anymore.
She's lost it. Completely lost it.
I'd known it, on some level. I'd guessed she was suffering. Her congenital anger issues were something she couldn't handle without my ability. But I never imagined this. That she'd hack off her own leg, that her mind had deteriorated to this point. I couldn't even fathom it.
Revulsion welled up. Bitter bile rose in my throat. I felt like I might vomit.
There was pity, too. Seeing Kang Haneul this broken, she seemed pathetic.
And then……guilt.
Is this my fault?
In a way, yeah. My ability had done this to her. It had eroded her mind, planted obsession and possessiveness deep inside. And then I'd left her. Abandoned her to deal with her congenital anger disorder alone.
This was the result. Crawling toward me, begging forgiveness with a smile even after mutilating herself.
My chest caved in.
But another thought surfaced at the same time.
But……you crushed my leg.
Whether she was suffering or not, whether I was the cause or not—she'd shattered my leg. With her foot, brutally. That fact would never change.
No matter how much she mutilated herself now, Moon Yujin's right leg wouldn't grow back.
Hers, on the other hand, would regenerate soon enough. The bleeding had already stopped, hadn't it? Stick the severed part back on, wait five minutes, and it'd be good as new.
So this was just a show. Something only a completely deranged person could pull off.
And the reason she'd lost her mind—
……Stop.
Terror. Revulsion. Pity. Guilt. Rage. All the emotions tangled together, twisting my guts.
I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't stay here.
Just before her hand grabbed my ankle, I yanked my foot away and staggered back.
"Yujin-ah……!"
Kang Haneul wailed pitifully and crawled after me as I retreated a few steps. I couldn't watch any longer. Couldn't listen.
I turned sharply and strode toward the rooftop door as fast as I could.
"Wait, Yujin-ah! Please!"
Her voice echoed behind me, but I didn't look back.
I reached the door, flung it open, and slipped inside.
"Yujin-ah――!!"
Her scream rang out, but I slammed the heavy iron door shut with all my strength.
Bang.
"Hah……hah……."
I'd run away. Couldn't face the madwoman head-on.
But it wasn't over.
Thud, thud, thud.
On the other side, Kang Haneul pounded on the door.
"Yujin-ah……! I'm sorry. I'm really sorry!"
Thud, thud, thud.
"Forgive me. Please……!"
Thud, thud, thud.
"Yujin-ah……! Yujin-ah……!"
Her voice droned on. Her apologies showed no sign of stopping.
I sank to the floor right there, back against the door.
…………
How much time passed? Five minutes? Ten?
Thud, thud, thud.
Kang Haneul kept pounding. Her pleas kept coming. Her wails seeped through the door, drilling into my eardrums without end.
What the hell am I supposed to do?
I clutched my head.
Should I just go back to Baek Sehee? Leave Kang Haneul here and pretend nothing happened?
Baek Sehee was probably at the training grounds right now, waiting for me after my little "breath of fresh air."
Yeah. Just head back there. Get up, take the elevator down. Simple.
But……
Kang Haneul looked seriously unhinged. She'd hacked off her own leg with an axe just to beg my forgiveness. Blood pouring, bone exposed, and still swinging that axe, desperate for absolution. The pain should've been enough to knock her out cold.
But she hadn't writhed or fainted. And through it all……she'd smiled. To look good for me. To apologize. To earn forgiveness. A servile, fawning smile.
Honestly? It was pitiful.
If I leave her like this……
She'd show up again later. Maybe with even worse self-harm next time. Or……just kill herself.
Is there even a right answer here?
My chest felt tight. I had no idea. No clue if I should forgive her or turn away.
Damned if I do, damned if I don't. Both paths sucked.
"……Fuck."
The curse slipped out unbidden.
I felt like I knew, but I didn't. Reason and emotion pulled in opposite directions.
"Ah, screw it!"
Life has no right answers anyway. I'd learned that the hard way, dying three times over.
No idea? Then just follow my gut. No regrets that way.
I stood up. Reached for the rooftop door handle.
"……Hoo."
I yanked it open hard.
Kang Haneul was there. Collapsed on the floor.
She must've reattached it in the meantime—her severed right leg was back in place. The power of an EX-rank regeneration ability.
But it wasn't fully healed yet. A glance showed bone and flesh still knitting together bit by bit.
Kang Haneul's face looked like death—lips blue from pain, features twisted in agony.
But.
"Yujin-ah……?"
The moment she saw me return, she forced another smile. Lips twitching up, teeth gritted, tears streaming.
Grotesque.
But pitiful, too.
"This isn't an apology!"
I yelled at her, and her eyes went wide.
"My leg isn't coming back just because you're suffering! No matter how much pain you're in, how much it hurts—that has nothing to do with my leg!"
I bellowed until my throat burned.
"Don't ever do this shit again! This isn't an apology……it's just, just……!"
Words failed me.
Kang Haneul stared up at me blankly. Tears traced down her cheeks.
I let out a deep sigh. Then approached her and knelt, pulling her into my arms.
"……!"
She gasped.
"Yujin-ah……?"
"Stay still."
I tightened my grip, hauling her to her feet. Her right leg dangled limply.
"Stand properly."
I looked her straight in the eye.
"I still haven't fully forgiven what you did. You kicked my leg and smashed it to pieces. I have to live with this disability. That's never changing."
Her eyes clouded over again.
"But……I get how hard it's been for you."
"……?"
"Truth is, I don't even know my own feelings exactly. But……at least, Haneul, I don't want you suffering like this."
Her eyes shook. Relief spread across her face, tears pouring out.
"I'm sorry, really sorry, Yujin-ah. I, I……."
She buried her face in my shoulder.
"D-doing something like this……I'm so sorry……."
"If you get it, never do it again."
I gripped her shoulders.
"No more self-harm. Got it?"
"……Yeah."
"This doesn't mean I've fully forgiven you."
"Mhm……."
She sobbed in my arms. I held her there, standing still.
…………
The regeneration finished—horrifyingly grotesque, but her right leg was more or less intact now. No more exposed muscle. Back to smooth thigh.
Of course, it only looked fine; her athletic performance would need more rest to recover fully.
Regeneration ability…….
I knew about it. Kang Haneul had three powers: super strength, super durability, and regeneration.
Not the instant-regrow-a-limb-or-half-your-body type, but for injuries like this—where the severed part wasn't lost—it mended and healed in minutes.
……EX-rank really is on another level.
A chill ran down my spine.
Kang Haneul was a real monster. Physically.
And that monster……had crushed my leg with a kick.
……Don't think about it.
I shook my head. No need to dwell and stress myself out here.
"Hospital……you'll be fine without one."
"……Sorry."
"Forget it."
Another thirty minutes……no, fifteen, and her injury would be fully healed.
But leaving her on the rooftop like this felt wrong.
"Let's go to your office for now. Rest there."
"Okay."
I grabbed her arm and led her off the rooftop. Down the hall, into the elevator. We got off at her floor.
Opened the door—the sofa where we'd lounged and chatted back when I was her manager came into view.
"Lie down here."
"Okay."
I eased her onto the sofa. The wound was still healing, but her face remained pale.
"Rest up. Until your leg's fully good."
"……Yujin-ah."
She looked up at me and reached out, grabbing my hand.
"Can't you……stay? If you don't have to go?"
"………."
Tough question.
Staying with her now would help her mental state. At least half a day, or a couple hours if not.
But Baek Sehee wouldn't like it. Technically, I was her manager, and this was work hours.
Kang Haneul and I? We were nothing to each other. Total strangers.
If we got caught spending time together, it'd be a disaster.
Best to head back to Baek Sehee.
But rejecting those pleading eyes coldly was hard.
"I'll contact you later."
"Really……?"
"Yeah. I will."
"Not a lie……?"
"No."
I stated it firmly. But she wouldn't let go of my hand.
"Yujin-ah, can't you stay? Please? Just……."
……Ugh.
I tried prying her hand off, but it was pointless. The strength gap was ant versus human.
"Haneul-ah, let go for now—"
"No. Please. Don't go……."
"I said I'd contact you later. I swear."
"Really?"
"Really."
I repeated the promise over and over.
Finally, the grip loosened.
"……You have to contact me. Okay?"
"Yeah. Promise."
I opened the door to Kang Haneul's office and stepped out.