Chapter 1: Please Don't Break Up With Me
The dormitory became enveloped by darkness which created extended shadows that stretched across the walls. The dormitory's interior remained motionless except for the electronic sounds and the slight movements of students under their blankets.
A dimly lit phone screen illuminated the face of a young man who rested in his bed. The tiredness in his eyes made his eyelids blink slowly as he read the notification at the top of his screen while his black hair remained slightly disheveled from restless sleep.
Ding!
A message.
Urek Han paused briefly before accessing his phone. His thumb paused above the chat icon while a small wave of discomfort spread through his chest. His heart began to race while a growing sense of nervousness took hold inside his body.
His breath stopped momentarily when he opened the chat window.
A solitary text message faced him on the screen.
"Urek Han, let's break up."
The straightforward message delivered a blow that exceeded his expectations. His fingers clenched the phone edges with a forceful grip. The screen's glow revealed his face while his eyes expanded with wide-eyed shock.
He swallowed.
A brief instant passed where everything in his surroundings disappeared including his blanket's warmth and his roommates' soft whispers and the distant car honking. His mind lost focus on everything else while it worked to understand the words in front of him.
Break up?
No. That had to be a joke.
A mistake, maybe.
His heartbeat raced in his ears while he typed quickly on the keyboard with his fingers outpacing his mind.
"Why, Rose? Are your activities with my roommates the reason for this message?
He paused, biting his lip. His breathing had grown uneven.
No, that sounded too confrontational. He needed to sound sincere. He needed to fix this.
He deleted the message before beginning his new attempt.
"Please don't be like this. I am dedicated to building our relationship. Is there something I haven't done well?"
He hesitated again, then added:
I have specific plans about our future together. Our future will bring us a contented household with two outstanding children and our own residence and vehicle. I will work hard to achieve everything we want together.
His hands shook violently as his emotions took over his body.
"Was it because I didn't buy the fancy bag you mentioned last time? If so, I apologize. I have started making genuine financial contributions during the recent period. The allowance from next month will be enough to purchase the item for you.
He sent the message before his thoughts could consume him.
He fixed his gaze on the screen after sending the message while waiting for a response. Hoping.
Seconds ticked by.
Then.
The system shows an error because the recipient removed you as a friend.
Urek's breath hitched.
His thumb automatically tapped on Rose's profile picture while his eyes moved to the top of the screen.
The page displayed a blank and emotionless interface.
[Add Friend]
She was gone.
The truth struck him with the force of a heavy brick.
He needed to become friends with the person before he could start a new conversation. She refused to accept any friend requests from him.
His body weight increased as his shoulders drooped.
So that was it.
No explanation. No argument. No chance to plead his case. A single text message ended everything between them.
His phone screen emitted a harsh mechanical light that became unbearable to his eyes. He hit his thumb against the phone to turn off the screen which restored complete darkness to the room.
He remained motionless for a long stretch while keeping his hands still on his lap.
An exhausted voice from the upper bunk let out a groggy sound.
💕
"Urek, join us for a game of blackjack. We're one short. We're about to play now"
Urek barely registered the words. His mind was still drowning in the weight of what had just happened.
A moment later, the voice hesitated.
"Ah, never mind. Sorry for disturbing you."
Even his friends knew.
Urek exhaled slowly through his nose. His fingers curled into fists.
His chest tightened, an overwhelming surge of frustration and grief welling up inside him.
It wasn't fair.
He had done everything. He had given everything. And in the end, he was cast aside like an afterthought.
His jaw clenched.
His knuckles turned white.
"Can't take it anymore."
Bang!
His fist slammed against the desk, the loud impact echoing through the quiet room. Without another word, he shoved his blanket aside, grabbed his coat, and stormed out of the dormitory.
Behind him, his roommate sighed, rolling over in bed.
"He's breaking up again… the sixth time this month."
---
The night air was cold. A sharp breeze whispered through the nearly empty campus streets, rustling the leaves of the trees that lined the pathways. The dim glow of streetlights cast elongated shadows along the pavement, stretching endlessly into the darkness.
Urek Han walked without direction, his thoughts in turmoil. His hands were buried deep in his pockets, his shoulders hunched as if trying to shield himself from something more than just the cold.
His mind kept replaying the breakup message, over and over, as if searching for some hidden meaning he had missed.
"Urek Han, let's break up."
Four words.
Four words that shattered three years of devotion.
Three years of doing everything for her. Three years of never saying no, always putting her first. Three years of believing. no, convincing himself—that if he just tried hard enough, she would see how much he loved her.
He scoffed under his breath, his lips curling into a bitter smirk.
What a joke.
Had he been that naïve?
His feet eventually brought him to a familiar place. a small public square at the heart of the campus. It was a place he and Rose used to walk together, hand in hand, sharing quiet conversations late into the night.
Now, those memories felt distant.
Urek slowed his steps as his eyes landed on a group of students gathered near one of the benches. They were whispering among themselves, casting glances at something or someone in the distance.
Curious, he followed their gazes.
His body tensed.
At the far end of the square, standing beneath a flickering streetlamp, was Rose.
And she wasn't alone.
A tall, well-dressed man leaned casually against an expensive car parked by the curb. His arms were crossed, his expression one of amusement. Even from a distance, Urek recognized him immediately.
Min Yunji.
Rose's ex-boyfriend.
His stomach twisted.
The pieces clicked into place.
So that was why she broke up with him.
The rumors that had been circling around campus were true.
Rose had gone back to Min Yunji. the same man who had cheated on her, the same man who had once pressured her into doing things she didn't want to do.
And yet, here she was.
Urek clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. His chest burned with a mix of anger, humiliation, and something far more painful. betrayal.
The whispers around him grew louder.
"Isn't that Urek Han?"
"Yeah. He's been after Rose for three years."
"Did he really think she'd stay with him forever?"
"Pathetic."
Urek took a deep breath, forcing himself to ignore the voices. He wasn't here for them.
He stepped forward.
Rose turned at the sound of his approaching footsteps. Her expression shifted from mild surprise to discomfort. She hesitated, glancing at Min Yunji before speaking.
"Urek… please don't do this. Everyone is watching."
Her voice was quiet, almost pleading.
But Urek didn't care.
He looked straight into her eyes, his emotions raw and exposed.
"Rose, I know you're angry with me," he said, his voice firm despite the lump in his throat. "I bought you these meat-filled buns. Forgive me. Don't mention breaking up again. I'll fix whatever is wrong with me."
A strained silence followed his words.
Somewhere in the crowd, someone snickered.
"He really brought food? As if that would change anything."
Min Yunji smirked, watching the scene unfold like it was some kind of entertainment.
And then, Rose spoke again.
Her words cut deeper than Urek ever thought possible.
"Urek… I'm not angry. My ex-boyfriend wants to get back together, and after careful consideration, I feel he needs me more."
For a moment, everything stopped.
Urek's heartbeat roared in his ears. His breath hitched.
He stared at her, searching her face for any hint of hesitation, any sign that she didn't truly mean what she had just said.
But there was nothing.
Just a quiet, resolute expression.
As if his existence no longer mattered.
A sharp, mocking voice broke through the silence.
"Hey, loser," Min Yunji called out, tapping the roof of his sleek car. "You heard her. Move along."
The door to the passenger seat swung open.
Rose hesitated for a split second, then stepped forward.
And just like that, she got into the car.
She didn't look back.
She didn't say another word.
As the engine roared to life, Urek felt something inside him crack.
The sleek vehicle pulled away, the taillights glowing red in the darkness before vanishing down the road.
He stood there, unmoving.
Alone.
The air around him suddenly felt suffocating.
Slowly, he lowered his gaze to the small bag in his hands. The warmth from the meat buns had already faded.
His fingers trembled as he exhaled a shaky breath.
Then, with a quiet, empty chuckle, he walked toward the nearest trash can.
And threw them away.
Without another word, he turned and walked toward the convenience store.
The automatic doors of the convenience store slid open with a soft chime. A gust of artificially chilled air washed over Urek Han as he stepped inside, a stark contrast to the lingering warmth of the outside world. The bright fluorescent lights overhead buzzed faintly, illuminating the rows of neatly stacked shelves filled with an assortment of snacks, drinks, and everyday essentials.
A faint scent of instant noodles and cheap coffee hung in the air.
Urek barely noticed.
His steps were slow, almost mechanical, as he wandered deeper into the store. His mind was blank, his emotions numbed by everything that had just happened.
He found himself standing in front of the alcohol section without even realizing it. His eyes drifted over the various bottles lined up before him.
Beer.
Whiskey.
Soju.
And then.
"Solace Breaking Wine."
A cheap, but potent liquor.
He reached for the bottle, his fingers tightening around its cold surface.
It wasn't his first time buying alcohol after a breakup.💕
No… he'd done this before.
Each time Rose walked away from him he always chose the same method of coping.
Drinking alone in his dorm.
Blurring out the pain.
A severe headache accompanied his already heavy heart when he woke up.
And then.
Going back to her.
Apologizing.
Begging.
He told himself that enduring more time would eventually make her understand his true value.
But now.
All remaining connections between them had vanished completely.
A dark laugh escaped his throat.
"Why am I always relying on this?"
His fingers squeezed the bottle harder.
"It makes me end up being a supporting character."
The realization hit him with the force of a knife through his heart.
A supporting character.
That's all he had ever been.
The background figure who patiently waited.
He gave without seeking anything back.
He stood by helplessly as the person he loved disappeared into the distance repeatedly.
He swallowed hard.
"Being a supporting character is the only role I can play in life... and without it, there's nothing good."
His reflection in the refrigerator glass door showed him a tired and empty-eyed face.
"As long as I have enough supports, I won't be a supporting character anymore..."
The bottle's label received attention from his thumb movement.
And then.
A gentle electronic tone sounded through the air.
A notification.
But not from his phone.
It came from.
Somewhere else.
Somewhere… deeper.
His eyesight briefly clouded up while the surrounding environment shifted in front of him.
Then.
[System Activated.]
A cold unfamiliar sensation swept through his entire body.
The bottle almost slipped from Urek's hands when his head started spinning.
The fluorescent lights above flickered.
And in front of him.
A transparent blue screen materialized before his eyes.