The World Flips Over

"How's this? Do I look like Conor McGregor?"

"Honestly, he's a total pussy."

"Pongse should stop simping already."

"I miss Joseon zombies."

Sunset time. A college district pub packed with crowds of people. And here I was, all alone like some kind of ghost.

Of course, it wasn't like I was being bullied or anything. I just didn't like hanging out in groups, chattering and drinking. But I had no choice but to show up, so here I sat by myself.

Ah, that sounds like a lame excuse.

Should've just taken a leave of absence.

I'd picked the MMA major because I had nowhere else to go. I joined the MMA research club for the grade points they promised. And maybe that was my mistake. At the club welcome party, I was grudgingly holding down a seat. I was a third-year now, after all.

But what was the point of being a third-year if I was just wasting time pointlessly?

I wanna go home.

I clicked my tongue and chugged my beer. It'd be nice if I were drinking because it felt good or refreshing. Unfortunately, in this life of mine, numbly going through the motions, I wasn't sure that day would ever come.

I wondered when it started. The death of my pet rabbit from when I was a kid? That little guy was adorable. My first real friend, one I'd raised for so long.

But he died. Just like that. Pointlessly.

After that, things felt empty, sure. There must've been a time when I had dreams, right?

No, wait, I'm confusing myself. Did I ever have dreams?

Around my senior year of high school, my parents got divorced. My dad, a kind-hearted but talentless old-school Taekkyeon practitioner. My mom, who'd given her all to the family but was deeply pessimistic.

Nowadays, you could just consult Teacher Ho Eun-young or something. But back then, no one like that existed.

It would've been one thing if they'd just divorced. But after I went to live with Dad, right before college, he died in an accident.

Maybe that's why my cynicism about life grew. Especially after the rabbit died.

And it didn't even seem like a real accident. But the cops ignored me and closed it as an accidental death.

If I need money, I can just work a few shifts at a convenience store. If that's not enough, I can do bare-knuckle boxing and earn fight money.

That's how I'd been living. Not really living—just being lived.

A life with nothing I wanted to do. Like I'd locked myself in a cage, breathing day after day like livestock with no meaning. Like a tiger in a zoo, bored out of its mind.

It'd be great if something I really wanted to do came along.

Ah, my heart did race during bare-knuckle boxing.

It's fun, right? That kind of thing.

I turned my head. Despite everything, the club members were having a blast. Even in the same space, it felt like a whole different world.

I'm jealous. I want to express my emotions like that, fully.

I rubbed my chest. Something inside felt broken, but I couldn't pinpoint where.

Then someone sat down across from me. Black-purple two-tone short hair. Orange eyes gleaming under the lights. Her slim, glamorous figure shifted as she settled in. Jeo Eunha, a freshman just last year.

She shot me those bright, sparkling eyes.

"Heehee, sunbae. What're you doing all alone? Shooting a CF?"

"What ad? Why?"

"Just... it bugs me seeing you by yourself!"

"There you go again."

I sighed and took a sip of beer. Eunha was always like this. For some reason, she was friendly to everyone. But when you tried to get close, she'd put up a wall first.

If you're gonna do that, why approach at all?

So I didn't expect ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠anything. I didn't know when I'd stopped expecting from relationships, but I probably couldn't change it.

Suddenly, I thought of the girl next door.

Pretty and cute. She was thrilled about starting at a big corp affiliate a few days ago. Wonder what that kind of life feels like?

She had dreams. Goals. I envied that. Me? I was like an impotent guy—couldn't feel a damn thing no matter what.

Lost in thought, I snapped out when Eunha waved her hand in my face.

"Hellooo? Earth to sunbae! Wow, you were thinking about some other girl right in front of me, huh?"

"No. And even if I was, so what."

"That kinda hurts, you know?"

"Whatever. Go take care of the freshmen."

"Yessir! Always so cool. That's why I like you~!"

She flashed a little devilish grin and sauntered off. I rested my chin on my hand, watching her go, then shook my head.

Eunha probably didn't really care about people either. But that impish charm was oddly appealing.

No, what am I saying?

I leisurely munched on some fried chicken skin and sipped my beer. Planning to drink just enough and head out.

But then I had to piss.

Did I overdo it?

I stood casually and headed to the bathroom. Did my business, felt relieved coming out.

Heading for the door, I bumped into Tattoo Pig. He clicked his tongue.

"Ah, fuck. Watch where you're going."

I looked at him. Same height as me, but fat as hell. He'd worked out—broad shoulders—but mostly flab or balloon muscles. The limit for gym bros.

Thought about killing him, then shook it off.

"Yeah, sorry."

"Kekeke, pussy bitch."

I ignored him and went back to my seat. Planned to down one more and leave. Munching on snacks, someone sat across from me again.

"Our Najin. Why're you brooding in solitude again?"

"Sa-eun sunbae."

Long black hair cascading down, tanned skin like she'd been baked just right. Tall for a woman at nearly 170cm, but short next to me. An athlete's sculpted body, glamorous curves that didn't get in the way at all. And those gray eyes fixed on me.

The real power in the MMA research club, an amateur fighter too. One of the few pros actually praised.

I started to stand and bow. Sa-eun reached out to stop me.

"Nah, don't. Why so formal?"

"No, it's just—"

"It's fine, sit."

She smiled softly. The third-year sunbae who always seemed quiet and cool. But she talked to me, showed interest in a way.

I appreciated it, but...

What's she get out of me?

I scratched my head. Sa-eun shared some snacks and held out her glass.

"C'mon, cheers."

"Sure."

Clink! The clear ring of glasses. We downed them together. The beer's carbonation caressed my throat on the way down. Normally nice, but today it felt off. Probably the crowd.

Myung Sa-eun stretched, flashing a smooth, hairless underarm that looked pure.

"This welcome party's going well. Right?"

"Yeah. 'Cause you made it that way, sunbae. The other sunbaes ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠are off studying abroad or whatever."

"Hehe, they're all busy, I guess. Good thing you're here."

"Me? I haven't done shit."

"It's far from your place. You live in that Youth Compact Housing, right?"

"Yeah."

"Impressive, going independent early. But you came all this way. Thanks."

I scratched my head. Wasn't for independence. Lived with my aunt before, felt awkward, looked into it, got lucky with the housing lottery.

Sa-eun smiled warmly, arms crossed with her chest draped over them.

"But I wanna see you train."

"You saw last time."

"Yeah, but not bare-knuckle. You're good at Taekkyeon, right?"

"Haha, just messing around."

"Your dad's an old-school Taekkyeon practitioner? Learning real combat stuff— that's awesome!"

Her eyes sparkled like a kid's. I was surprised. Even my mom didn't respect Dad, calling it a waste. To me, he was an idol. And Sa-eun accepted him as ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠is.

Felt embarrassed for no reason.

"Ah, yeah, something like that."

"Wanna see it sometime. Seong Najin's Taekkyeon."

"I do it for real fights, not sparring. Haha."

"Ooh, even more exciting~?"

I rubbed my cheek. Over-the-top expectations embarrassed me. Sa-eun smirked like she read my mind.

She stood slowly.

"Well, drink up and head out."

She went to the others. Wherever she went, people welcomed her. That must be what living like a real person looked like.

But I could never do that.

I stared blankly, then finished my beer. Stood up, grabbed a piece of fried chicken skin on the way—tasty—and left.

Brushed crumbs from my mouth as I walked.

"Fuuu."

Sky dyed sunset orange. Bustling streets. All sorts hurrying to end or start their day. Everyone so passionate. And me, alone, sinking cold.

Down to the subway. Sighed boarding.

Is this how to live? But how else?

Thoughts flooded in. No answers. I often wished life had an answer key. If I was wrong, someone shove it in my face.

I just didn't know anymore. Really. Always been like this. This was my life.

Time passed, back in the neighborhood. Out of the station, looked around. Nowon-gu academy district. Eunhaeng Sagori. Compact housing beyond.

New station brought more people lately.

Headed home. Waiting at the crosswalk, overheard chatter.

"Heard about the virus spread?"

"Yeah, huge. Why?"

"Gov sent the perp back home."

"What? No investigation?"

"Yeah. Southeast Asian guy. Anti-discrimination laws or whatever—they won't touch him."

"Fuckin' hell. Protect citizens first. What's the law even for?"

I smirked. Same old world. So consistent it pissed me off. Made me question more.

Those assholes live. So why'd my dad have to die in an 'accident'?

Chest tight, wanted to flip everything over. Light changed. Compact housing in sight. Sky turning black. But weird—kinda deep purple today.

"A world like this? Flip the fuck over."

Muttered like a spell. Walked ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠on, but oddly, no one in the housing area. Even outside Eunhaeng Sagori, never this empty.

Then the ground shook.

"Whoa!"

Crouched to brace. Sky seemed to shake too. Hallucination? Quake faded slowly.

"What the hell."

Standing, letters etched in mid-air. First like ancient script, then shifting to Korean. Bizarre.

"What, what the fuck?!"

Rubbed my eyes. Thought I was seeing shit. What situation was this? Straight out of a web novel.

Too much booze? Then a quest popped up, making it worse.

My head blanked for a sec. A situation I'd never dreamed of.

Should've been shocked, but my lips twitched. A thrill I'd never felt soaked my chest like water.

Am I the only one? Checked the community quick.

What a shitshow.

If this was global, all humanity was in it. Even clowns ascending now.

"Kekekegh!"

Looked up. A guy way taller and bulkier than me, drooling, shambling over. Never seen him, but felt like he popped out of nowhere. Acting like a zombie.

"This is fun. If it's a game or whatever, no need to pay kill fees, huh?"

"Grrraaagh!"

"Always dodged fights over kill fees. But you're not even human. Gonna kill you."

"Kahak!"

Zombie spat saliva, charged. I lightly lifted my front foot.

"Renewal, calf reap."

Zombie lunged; I eyed its stepping leg. Stomped hard on the knee cartilage spot, dug under.

Zombie howled, wobbled, collapsed. Leg fucked.

"Stamp kick."

Lifted foot, smashed its face. Zombie twitched, died.

Felt refreshed. Chest light. Like a freed slave.

Yeah, like after CSAT, getting scores I wanted. Closest thing. Before Dad died.

"Hyaa, so damn refreshing!"

The alert confirmed it. The world flipped, just like I wanted.

Savoring the joy, closed my eyes. Then a massive battleship-thing plummeted from the sky.

That day, Eunhaeng Sagori was obliterated. Utterly devastated, spectacularly.