Rebirth

That day, he finally cracked an interview after countless other rejections, and managed to aquire a job at a small advertisement company. 

It was his first day at this job. 

Lee Dae-sung walked into that building, not knowing what to expect. He was greeted by another worker and led to his workplace. Soon his mentor would come and teach him the ins and outs.

He sat down and quietly began inspecting the documents and the expensive computer he had never seen before. As his hand shuffled through the documents,a smack landed at the back of his head. It didn't hurt, but it wasn't exactly pleasant. 

"Did I tell you to do anything yet, newbie?"

He turned and saw her face. A beautiful woman, perhaps a few years older than him, her brown hair and crossed arms, and her furrowed eyebrows.

He quickly stood up and bowed in apology. 

"I'm- I'm sorry."

She studied him for a while with the same expression. Soon it softened as she saw him maintaining the bow.

"Just listen to what I tell you to do, and don't cause any trouble, understand?"

"Y- yes ma'am"

"My name is Lee Jae-woong. But obviously, you won't be calling me that. And you are Lee Dae-sung, I already know so don't waste time with introductions."

He nodded and she heaved a fake sigh, sat down beside his chair and patted the chair his chair. 

He quickly sat down.

"Now, listen closely. If you don't understand something, ask again. And don't argue with me, okay?"

He nodded. "Y-yes ma'am"

Her expression changed to somewhat playful. 

"And don't be a yes man."

He looked into her eyes and stuttered.  "Yes...I-I mean n-no, I-"

She laughed lightly and patted his shoulder. 

"Don't worry, I'm just messing with you."

He smiled nervously and nodded.  "R-right."

She looked at him with a much softer smile and began. 

"Now then, you ready? Doesn't matter, we're starting."

And she switched on the computer and started explaining the procedure and the business of the company.

Whenever he asked something again, she didn't get annoyed, or scold him, but explained again. She was quite patient with him, and he couldn't help but feel impressed.

He was soon given some basic tasks to test his skills and he tried his best. He was only average at best.

As he messed up one of the tasks, a soft smack landed on his head. It was so light, he wondered if it was meant to hurt or sympathise.

"Not like this, see, here... and here..." She explained again and helped him compete it. 

Soon it was the end of their shift. She smirked at him and crossed her arms. 

"You must be dying to get out of here, no?"

He shook is head.  "I will work overtime."

Though the work hours were fixed, he could earn extra by volunteering for overtime hours. 

Her expression hardened.  "And why is that?"

He averted his gaze.  "I need the money..."

"That badly?"

He nodded. She didn't ask why and ruffled his hair. 

"You're not starving or something, are you?"

He didn't say anything. Her eyes widened. 

She sighed and looked away in thought. Then looked back at him. 

"You know, I'm going for an important job. If you assist me, I'll give you the money." She explained.

"H- how much..."

"More than what you get by overtime."

He didn't think twice and nodded. "I'll do it."

She smiled, took his hand and led him. 

He blushed and thought he was fortunate she was looking ahead and not at him. 

She took him to her car and drove him somewhere. The seat felt quite soft and smooth after sitting on the chair for so long After a while, she stopped the car. 

"Out." She said and removed her seatbelt.

They both walked out of the car and he felt a bit warm, suddenly coming out of the air conditioning. 

He looked up and saw where he was. It wasn't a workplace, nor was it a home. No, it was a restaurant. 

"Come." She said and took his hand again. He thought he should protest but decided otherwise. 

They went in and sat down at a table for two. Soon the waiter came to their table.

"What would you like sir and madam?" The waiter asked politely. 

She smiled at him. "So what have you decided?"

He looked at her and the waiter in confusion.  "A- I-I..."

She giggled and lifted the menu.  

"I'll take this and this." She pointed at the items on the menu.

"And he wants this and this." And she ordered for him too. 

The waiter took their order and went away. He looked at her bright face again. 

"I'm sorry, I-I don't understand..."

"Ah, there was a discount for couples, so I brought you along to save money, that." She explained.

That didn't make sense to him. He debated with himself and decided he'd just say it.

"However, paying for two with a discount is more expensive than paying for one...."

Her expression faltered but she regained her composure and let out a soft laugh. 

"You caught me there. You wanna know the real reason I brought you?"

He nodded. 

"You see that guy over there?"

She pointed at one of the guys at another table, and he directed his gaze towards him. 

"That's my ex. I wanted to make him jealous, that's why." She smiled and looked at him triumphantly.

"R-really...?"

She nodded and smacked him lightly again. 

"Of course."

Soon the waiter arrived with their order and they are quietly. He had never tasted such food before and he didn't even know what it was. He liked it. 

They soon finished and got up. 

"Do you mind if I use the bathroom for a second?" He asked. 

She sat back down and laughed at him.  "What are you, an elementary schooler, asking for permission like that?"

He smiled and went to the bathroom. 

Soon they were walking out of the restaurant. 

"Now then, where do you live? I gotta drive you home."

"Oh um, there's no need for that, I- I'll take a cab."

She smacked him again. This time she wasn't smiling. 

"If he sees that, he'll know we're not a real couple. You have to come, I'm not asking."

He hesitated but then nodded and gave his address. They sat back in the car and she drove again. He looked out the window quietly. As she was driving, she handed him some money. 

"W- what's this for?" He looked at her in confusion. She looked back as if she was looking at some dumb creature. 

"For doing your job, idiot. Didn't I say it, I wanted to make my ex jealous. You get it?"

She looked back ahead at the road. He stared out the window, the cash in his hands.

When he had gone to the bathroom, he had went up to a certain guy.

"Hey, by any chance, do you know the woman I was sitting with?"

The man had looked at him with a confused expression.  "Nah man, why do you ask?"

"Oh no reason, thanks." He had said and walked out. 

He continued to stare out of the window blankly while replying. 

"I get it."

She drove him home and waved him bye. 

After that day, he continued the job, and after the work hours, she would make one excuse or another to take him out. Some days, he convinced her to let him work overtime, some days he couldn't. 

That was their relationship. 

.

.

.

He stared at the person he had just killed brutally by shoving the Unbreakable Sword inside her body.

He had killed a truly vast amount of people without a shred of remorse or guilt. But now he had killed this person too. He fell to his knees and couldn't hold back the tears at all.

This was the person that had been kind to him in his bleak world. This was the person who had given him a candle of hope. This was the person he had loved. And this was the person he had killed. 

Everything around him fell away again and he saw his other self, shedding tears. He walked up to the other. 

"One of us must die." He said.

"I know." The other replied. His arms and legs still outstretched, held firmly by the chains around them. 

He walked up to him and unsheathed his blade.

The other looked at him one last time, his expression quitely asking him to reconsider.

He took a deep breath. He didn't feel the rage from before, he didn't feel guilt, remorse, he didn't feel anything at all. 

The sword stabbed into his other self. He didn't shout or resist, he simply accepted it. And closed his eyes. 

□And then, there was only King.□

He got up from his knees and wiped away his tears. And then started walking towards Lee Jae-woong's body again. 

Her body lay there, her eyes wide open in terror, her face pale, blood soaking her clothes and all over her body, and the sword that had destroyed her still rested there, inside her body. 

He shoved his hand inside and pulled out the sword. He then walked away without looking back. For a moment he felt as if a gaze lingered at him. But then the feeling disappeared.

He wouldn't bury her, or cry over her. He wouldn't feel guilt or regret. No, this time, 

□He will truly live only for himself.□