Chapter 1

### After the Breakup

A leisurely Sunday morning, sipping a cup of coffee.

I was dumped.

No, I was dumped.

By just one phone call.

*

At first, I thought it was a voice phishing scam.

[This call is an international call.]

I pressed 'reject' without answering, but it rang again immediately.

[This call is an international call.]

At this point, it was clear that some serious education was needed.

I picked up the phone, intending to play along and then unleash a torrent of curses, but a very familiar voice came through.

[Hey, what are you doing?]

It was Ji-hyeon.

My fiancée.

"What? Are you abroad?"

[Yeah, I'm in Boracay. The sky is really beautiful today.]

For a moment, cognitive dissonance set in.

We had clearly planned to visit an electronics store in the afternoon, and she had insisted we go today, even canceling my weekend work. Was she in Boracay?

I had canceled my weekend work because she said it was important to see me today?

Ah, is this a voice phishing scam with a voice similar to Ji-hyeon's?

"Ji-hyeon, where was our first kiss?"

I asked a question only the two of us would know.

[In my car. The Porsche.]

"What? That's right. I thought it was a voice phishing scam. But why Boracay all of a sudden? What about our plans today?"

[Brother, let's call it quits.]

"What?"

[Let's pretend our marriage never happened. Let's end it cleanly.]

At first, I thought it was a joke.

Before our wedding, she often pulled off strange stunts, calling them surprise events.

My proposal was a surprise too.

I rented an entire movie theater, filled it with fake audience members—actually pre-arranged friends—and played a proposal video during the ad break.

What was she planning this time?

I decided to play along.

"Should we? Then we need to cancel the wedding venue first. What about the honeymoon? The travel agency? Come on, the one who broke it should take care of everything."

[Yeah, I'll take care of it right away. If there are any cancellation fees, I'll cover them, so don't worry about the money.]

"Okay? The house was your idea, so you can just take it back."

[Of course. I like your coolness.]

Even as we joked, the thought of our newlywed home made me feel a bit sentimental.

A brand new 34-pyeong apartment with a clear view of the Han River.

It cost 4.3 billion won.

A place I could only afford a shoe cabinet with my savings, but Ji-hyeon had managed to get it.

Ji-hyeon is a bundle of blessings.

It's a bit awkward to say, but she's from a different bloodline.

The granddaughter of the chairman of KJ Group, one of the top 10 conglomerates in Korea.

The daughter of the CEO of KJ Food Home.

In simpler terms, a third-generation chaebol.

We didn't know each other when we met.

We got to know each other as we spent time together.

That made it even more thrilling.

To find out that the girl I fell in love with at first sight was a third-generation chaebol?

Wow.

Thanks to her, I've been the envy and target of my friends' complaints for months.

Some even sent jealous warnings, saying that being a son-in-law wouldn't be easy.

They weren't entirely wrong. The preparation process was quite challenging.

I'm the eldest son of a family that barely makes the middle class.

When I first met my future in-laws, there was a subtle atmosphere of disdain and opposition.

But Ji-hyeon broke through those obstacles with her love.

I won't marry anyone but Yoo-won.

I still remember those words.

She was always lovely, but when we faced practical issues, she was reliable.

But now.

[Thank you for everything.]

"Huh?"

[Let's part ways without any hard feelings. Let's end it with a smile, Brother.]

...Now she's leaving me.

Not a joke, not a hidden camera, not a surprise event, not even a Truman Show.

The breakup was real.

"..."

It was shocking.

So much so that I doubted if this was really happening to me, if this was really my reality.

"Wait, why? All of a sudden?"

[We met suddenly, didn't we? Now that we're about to do it, it doesn't feel right. Should I say I'm tired of it?]

"Doesn't feel right?"

[Brother, think about it.]

A small, mocking laugh came through.

[It never made sense for us to get married in the first place.]

Something that made sense and was real yesterday is now nonsense?

[You're a good person, a great person. I still feel jealous when I think about you dating other women.]

It was absurd.

This wasn't the Ji-hyeon I knew.

Who was I talking to?

[But I hope you remember me fondly in your memories. I'll send you about 50 million won as compensation.]

Fond memories? 50 million won?

Is she crazy?

"Hey, watch your words."

Of course, 50 million won is a tempting amount given my situation.

But still.

It's not like I'm some random person she picked up and then threw money at.

But Ji-hyeon seemed to think she could buy my feelings with money.

[Don't act tough, Brother. Your current place is a half-rental, right? Use this money to switch to a full rental and reduce your monthly rent.]

A 1.5-room apartment in a university area, 70 million won for the deposit and 300,000 won for the monthly rent.

I upgraded from a monthly rental to a half-rental with the money I saved over four years of hard work.

That was my bleak reality.

But still.

"Enough. Stop talking about money."

[Ah, really...]

Ji-hyeon sounded annoyed.

[Why are you being so petty? You're paying for Eun-jin's tuition, right? Use this money for that! At least, once she becomes a doctor, your family will be able to make a living, right?]

Petty? Make a living?

Do the rich teach their children a different definition of "petty" and "make a living" from a young age?

"Hey!"

I shouted without realizing it, then trailed off.

I didn't want to end things with insults, talking about each other's families and situations.

"Let's talk later."

[There won't be a later, Brother. I'll send the money to your account.]

"What?"

[Take care.]

The call ended abruptly.

At the same time, a text message arrived.

────────

Deposit

55,000,000 won

Ji-hyeon

Balance: 59,384,382 won

────────

"Damn it!"

The old wallpaper caved in.

My fist throbbed, and red blood trickled down the yellowed paper.

"Damn it, how did this happen...?"

Was this just a game to her?

Did she play a marriage game out of boredom?

What now, what will happen to my life?

"..."

I slumped to the floor, and all I could see were hundreds of wedding invitations in boxes.

"Oh..."

I could just throw away the ones in the boxes, but what about the ones already sent out?

Should I call everyone back?

Tell them the wedding is canceled?

What reason should I give?

Everyone would laugh at me inside.

They'd say, "Did you think it was easy to enter a rich family? Why did you try so hard when you should have lived within your means from the start?"

"Ugh..."

What should I tell my parents?

Damn!

I wouldn't have known what a breakup felt like if I hadn't experienced it.

It would be nice to have someone to talk to openly.

Is there anyone who would listen to my breakup story on this sunny Sunday?

'Ah, screw it.'

I took out all the alcohol from the fridge and drank it all.

'Let's eat and die.'

Gulp, gulp──

How much time had passed?

The surroundings were dark, and my vision was spinning red.

My thoughts were still a mess, but I knew what I had to do.

"Let's live a passionate life, Shin Yoo-won."

Work hard, save money.

"Let's go back to my ordinary life."

But there was one problem.

"Damn it."

I work for KJ Food Home.

So the CEO is Ji-hyeon's father, my ex-father-in-law.

Surely, he won't fire me just because I broke up with Ji-hyeon?

I'm really good at my job...

In the midst of all this, I clung to my work ethic, set my alarm for 6 AM, and passed out.

"Damn it."

**

The aftermath of the breakup started the next day.

A well-known café franchise that has a branch near every Seoul subway station.

<Blue Place>.

I'm the brand director there.

The title sounds grand, but my job is no different from a regular office worker.

In simpler terms, managing franchises and quality control?

"Hello, Mr. Owner. Let's start by checking what was done over the weekend."

This is <Blue Place> Itaewon 2, located near Noksapyeong Station.

Itaewon is a unique market where individual, unique cafes are more popular than franchises due to the high proportion of foreigners and hipsters.

That's why the company is strategically opening this branch.

Fortunately, our company had successfully launched Itaewon 1, and I, who was in charge of its opening, was also responsible for Itaewon 2.

"Mr. Owner, the color temperature of these lights is a bit off, isn't it? They're a bit cool-toned?"

"Ahaha, you're right."

The owner, who is around my mother's age, replied calmly but didn't look calm at all.

"Did you change them?"

"Well, my son said these lights were prettier..."

This happens sometimes.

Even after deciding to open a franchise, some owners want to put their own touch on the place.

It's understandable, but it's my job to prevent it.

"Mr. Owner, you can do that. But we aim to cater to the majority, not a specific individual. Don't you trust us?"

"Well, it's not that..."

"Have you heard of the -1 branch before 1?"

"Minus 1 branch?"

"It was the real 1, but it closed down. We call it the -1 branch."

"Ah, really?"

"Why did it fail?"

"Was it because the lights were cool-toned?"

"Haha, no. The owner was from Cheongdo and had a stubborn personality. He changed everything, from the interior to the menu, to his liking."

Of course, I've never met the owner of the -1 branch.

"Ah, I must have been out of it. I'll change them back."

"Good. By the way, Mr. Owner."

"Yes?"

"Everything else is perfect."

"Really?"

The owner's face lit up.

"Yes, now let's check the coffee and dessert quality."

While doing the opening inspection, my smartphone in my pocket started vibrating loudly.

I had been receiving texts and notifications all day.

[Hotel Yorkhill - The contract is being terminated due to the consumer's fault. As the cancellation is within 90 days of the scheduled wedding, a cancellation fee will be charged. Please provide your refund account...]

[Hello, it's 'You and I' Studio. The contract for your wedding photo shoot has been canceled...]

[From Hanbok fitting company, Yedam. We have received your request to cancel the contract, but there will be charges for the materials and costs already incurred...]

The reality I had tried to numb with alcohol and work kept resurfacing.

I thought it would be another such message, but it was different this time.

The sender.

Love ♥.

I hadn't thought to change the name after getting drunk last night.

"Damn."

But I was quickly drawn to the content of the message.

[Hey, Brother!]

[I think it might be a bit awkward to run into you around town.]

[I'll make sure you get the best possible severance pay and unemployment benefits.]

[I'll also ask my friends if they know of any job openings.]

[You're so capable, you'll do well elsewhere.]

[You might even get a higher salary, which would be a good thing.]

Question marks filled my mind.

The answer was one.

'Am I really getting fired?'

Before I could even think about it, a call came in.

This time, it was from my team leader.

"Yes, Shin Yoo-won here."

[Shin, there's something I need to talk to you about...]

That was the last call.

I left Itaewon 2 immediately.

Whether the lights were cool-toned or warm-toned, whether the cold brew extractor was a mess, it was no longer my concern.

I wasn't assigned to any other branches.

I was no longer a brand director, nor a manager at the decaying KJ Food Home.

I was 30 years old.

Dumped and forced to resign.

The bright future I had envisioned was crashing down at a terrifying speed.

*

Soon, it was my last day at work.

The first round was a formal farewell dinner with my team members.

The second round was a formal farewell drinking session with my team members.

The third round was a karaoke session with my college friends after drinking.

My friends started a bet as soon as we got to the karaoke room.

Who could make Shin Yoo-won the angriest.

[Breakup, breakup, breakup, oh!]

[I dreamed of waking up with you in the future.]

[She's leaving, and I hate myself for just watching her go.]

Everyone was having a great time.

"Ah, these guys are supposed to be my friends."

They believed that turning it into a joke would help me forget faster, but honestly, they must have been pretty hurt by this too.

I would have felt the same way.

I understand.

In times like these, self-deprecation is the answer.

I grabbed the microphone.

*

I finally made it home, collapsed on the bed, and fell asleep.

"Damn it."

And I had a dream.

I was a child, crying and clinging to my grandmother.

"Yoo-won, why are you crying so sadly? Did someone bully you?"

My grandmother stroked my hand and asked, but I couldn't answer and just kept crying.

Then, she started telling her own story.

"Yoo-won, have you ever seen your grandfather? Do you even know what he looks like?"

I nodded, and my grandmother raised her voice.

"I was also dumped, just like you! Your grandfather was supposed to get married, but he suddenly went to war and canceled everything."

"Really?"

I knew my grandfather had died in the Vietnam War.

But they were engaged?

"But I was already pregnant. I had to raise you. That's your father. A little while later, a letter came from Vietnam."

[If I return to the country, will you marry me again?]

"Believing in that one sentence, I raised a baby while waiting day and night. But then I heard he died in Vietnam. The world collapsed. No one in this world can understand how I felt back then."