This World is too Cruel to Men

You know that feeling when you blurt something out in a fit of pique, only to instantly regret it?

That’s exactly how Yun-Seo felt, watching Dokgun’s face crumple in bewildered confusion after her outburst.

It wasn’t her intention to bring ‘that’ up.

‘Ugh…’

Who in their right mind enjoys having their computer snooped through?

Especially when it might contain sensitive information.

She assumed Dokgun would feel the same, which is why she intended to keep it a secret.

Yet, here she was, having spilled the beans.

‘What do I do?’

What if Dokgun got angry and demanded to know why she’d peeked?

It wasn’t a thoughtless act, not at all.

She had a perfectly good reason, and she’d seized the opportunity when it presented itself.

The truth was, she’d always been curious about Dokgun’s taste in women.

He was at an age where interest in the opposite sex should be blossoming, yet he showed absolutely no signs of it.

It was almost as if he believed it was forbidden.

It had even led her to some… peculiar thoughts.

Like, what if Dokgun… preferred men?

She had to know.

After seeing what was hidden in the depths of his computer, she could confidently say that wasn’t the case.

‘Those…’

The memory of the videos, so explicit they made her cheeks burn just thinking about them, caused her to nibble on her lip.

She glanced at Dokgun, still lost in a sea of bewilderment.

It wasn’t just his taste in women that puzzled her.

It was these occasional glimpses of a different Dokgun that also left her wondering.

Usually, he acted like any other boy his age, ridiculously childish.

But in specific situations, like this one, a different side of him emerged.

A mature reaction that no one his age could replicate.

Just look at him now.

“Uh, um… well, you see… guys just… do that, you know?”

How was that the reaction of a sixteen-year-old boy who just got caught with explicit videos by his childhood friend?

He ‘was’ flustered, sure, but it was a fundamentally different kind of flustered.

If he were a normal sixteen-year-old, wouldn’t this be excruciatingly awkward yet tinged with a hint of excitement?

But what was the reality?

The bewilderment Dokgun was exhibiting wasn’t of that variety.

It was more like… an uncle who’d been caught by his niece.

Why did she perceive this discrepancy only with Dokgun?

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t understand.

This wasn’t the first time she’d seen this side of him.

“But how did you even crack the password—”

Every time she encountered this side of him, a thought popped into her head: Maybe, in Dokgun’s eyes, she was still that seven-year-old pipsqueak.

Yes, that had to be it.

There was no other explanation.

It was a bit embarrassing, like she was tooting her own horn, but wouldn’t it be strange ‘not’ to feel a flutter of excitement when your perfect, in every way, childhood friend was constantly by your side?

‘My… body…’

There was still time.

She was secretly working out diligently and chugging milk whenever she could.

Significant results were bound to appear soon, so there was no need to worry. …It had to be true.

Her endless train of thought inevitably arrived at the same destination.

‘Why… why doesn’t he…’

Confess already?

If she were Dokgun, she would have confessed countless times by now.

Did he have someone else he liked?

The thought briefly crossed her mind, but it was impossible.

There was no one around who could compare to her.

Having been together since Kindergarten, Dokgun’s standards must be incredibly high.

No one else could possibly catch his eye.

Unless… he didn’t like her as much as she thought?

‘…No way.’

That couldn’t be true.

If that were the case, they wouldn’t have remained friends all these years.

It was just… Dokgun was more timid than he appeared.

That had to be it.

He was probably overthinking things, worried about being rejected.

‘He doesn’t need to worry about that…’

She was so frustrated she almost wanted to confess herself, but she couldn’t.

How could a girl confess first?

‘How embarrassing…’

As her thoughts spiraled, Yun-Seo’s expression shifted through a kaleidoscope of emotions.

Dokgun, observing her, tilted his head in confusion.

His initial panic at her sudden outburst had subsided, replaced by curiosity as he watched her silent monologue.

‘She’s doing it again…’

Was she preoccupied with something lately?

It was understandable, considering they were nearing the end of middle school.

Moving from middle school to high school might seem like a small step, but it was a significant change. Three years from now, they would be adults.

And for Yun-Seo, adulthood meant taking the Hero qualification exam.

Of course, she’d be deep in thought.

Come to think of it, it wasn’t entirely unrelated to him.

He only had three years left too.

What would he do with his life as an adult? Would he become another cog in the machine, working a mundane job like everyone else?

This was more perplexing than choosing a college major in his first life.

He decided to focus on the task at hand.

Worrying wouldn’t magically provide answers.

He had three years to figure things out.

“Hey.”

He called out to Yun-Seo, snapping her out of her reverie.

At this rate, they wouldn’t get to enjoy the main course: the whole roasted pork belly.

“We need to finish up so we can eat. Aren’t you hungry?”

“H-Hey, I was working on it!”

Working on it?

The meat looked exactly the same as before.

He’d bought a rather expensive cut, partly because he’d heard somewhere that pig skin and human skin had similar structures, hoping it would be good practice for her.

It seemed to be a more challenging task than he’d anticipated.

Her struggles were evident.

“Alright, that’s enough for today.”

“Aw, why! Just a little longer…”

“Come on, we need to eat.”

He took the pork belly, scored it in a crosshatch pattern with a knife, seasoned it with salt, and popped it into the air fryer.

The resulting whole roasted pork belly looked mouthwateringly delicious.

“Whoa… That’s insane.”

To check if the thick cut was cooked through, he poked it with a chopstick.

Clear juices oozed out from between the perfectly crisped layers of meat.

Yun-Seo, who had been hovering nearby with a plate, anticipating the delicious aroma, handed it to him.

He placed the pork belly on the plate and carefully sliced it—

‘Gulp…!’

He heard a telltale swallow from beside him.

He glanced at Yun-Seo, who quickly turned her flushed face away, seemingly embarrassed by the sound.

“C-Can you try a piece?”

Despite her bashfulness, she accepted the slice of pork he offered.

Like a baby bird receiving food from its mother, she opened her lips slightly and popped the piece into her mouth.

A shiver of delight ran through her.

“Mmm…!”

She really couldn’t resist good meat.

Well, it ‘was’ undeniably delicious.

He cut a small piece for himself and savored the taste.

The crispy fat crackled between his teeth, releasing a burst of flavorful juices that mingled with the salt he’d sprinkled into the scored lines.

He wished he could crack open a beer, but he refrained, considering the middle schooler sitting next to him.

He finished setting the table, but the expected arrival remained pending. It seemed like something had come up again, delaying their return.

“Are… are you okay?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“…Nothing. Never mind.”

What else could they do?

They couldn’t let perfectly good food go to waste.

They might as well start without the others.

“Stop with the pointless chatter and eat.”

“Honestly, even when I’m worried about you…”

“Huh? What was that?”

The combination of roasted pork belly, ssamjang (Korean dipping sauce), and pickled radish leaves was heavenly.

The tangy radish leaves perfectly balanced the richness of the pork—

“Oh, by the way, it’s in about three days, right?”

“…Huh? What is?”

What is? Was she seriously asking?

“The regular sparring match.”

“…Oh.”

Just as the secret tutoring sessions from their Kindergarten days had continued, so had Yun-Seo’s monthly tests.

However, the format had changed significantly.

Initially, they tested basic knowledge required of an Awakened.

Once Yun-Seo reached the upper elementary grades, the tests shifted to assessing her talent itself.

Then, at fifteen, during her second year of middle school, it changed again.

Now, she engaged in sparring matches using her talent against other Awakened individuals with combat-oriented abilities.

And so far, Yun-Seo had never lost a single match.

That was the reason she had maintained her title of genius since childhood.

“Have you been preparing for the sparring match?”

“O-Of course…!”

Her averted gaze suggested otherwise.

“You ‘have’ been preparing, right?”

“Yes, I said so! And the people I’m up against are all the same, so even if I don’t specifically prepare…”

“What are you talking about? I heard that Awakened from the high school division are participating this time.”

“…Huh? Really?”

She’d brought it up herself, and now she was acting like she’d never heard of it?

‘Sigh…’

He sighed inwardly but decided to see it as a good thing.

Honestly, experiencing defeat at this point wouldn’t be bad for Yun-Seo.

It was better to face setbacks sooner rather than later.

No one could win forever.

If she had to learn a harsh lesson, it was better to learn it when the stakes were lower.

He chose to remain silent, even though he could have warned her not to be careless.

Time passed, and the day of the regular sparring match, Yun-Seo’s last as a middle school student, arrived.