This World is too Cruel to Men

…I quite like winter.

The dryness is a slight drawback, but compared to other seasons, the frequency of bug appearances is significantly lower.

‘And it’s nice to lie under a warm blanket and peel tangerines.’

To some, that might seem like a trivial reason, but anyone who’s experienced it will understand. It’s enough to significantly improve one’s quality of life.

On the other hand, snowy days?

Honestly, I don’t like them very much.

It’s not just because my last memory of my previous life was a day with heavy snowfall.

Of course, it would be a lie to say that it has no impact at all… but aside from that, wouldn’t any male born in the Republic of Korea naturally hate that white trash falling from the sky?

Especially if they served in a front-line unit?

It goes without saying.

Do you know the horror of frantically shoveling snow like crazy, only to have that white stuff refill as quickly as you clear it, feeling like you’ll be stranded if you just stand still?

Anyone who’s experienced it will understand.

Just how… freaking awful that situation is.

‘Snow…’

It is pretty, though.

Pure white flakes gently falling from the sky—anyone with normal sensibilities would naturally find it beautiful.

But what happens when those falling flakes meet the ground?

From that moment on, it just becomes trash that causes all sorts of inconveniences.

Well, if it at least stayed white, it would still be pretty to look at, but the snow that falls to the ground and turns into something close to slush is truly…

‘Ugh…’

And to top it all off, that melted snow later turns into ice, laying trap cards for unsuspecting pedestrians.

Maybe snow is nothing more than a useless thing with only harmful effects.

‘Sigh…’

You never know what might happen, but if I had known it would snow in early November, I would have made a habit of checking the weather forecast regularly.

I thought I could get by with just a scarf, not quite needing a padded jacket yet. That complacency was my downfall.

Who would have imagined that I would come to miss the anti-slip spray I always kept in my bag every winter so desperately?

I didn’t even have to look far.

If I had just opened the shoe cabinet in the entranceway, there was a whole box of it. If only I had it, I wouldn’t be feeling so… down.

The only silver lining is that since it just started snowing, the roads probably aren’t too slippery yet.

Of course, that means the way back to school after the movie will be a treacherous sheet of ice.

‘Why did it have to be…’

…today?

Just yesterday, the sun was shining brightly, and the sky was clear…

Grumbling to myself, I naturally fell to the back of the line, and Yun-Seo followed alongside me.

She followed so naturally that I unconsciously glanced at her—

“What?”

That response came from the owner of the nose and cheeks that had turned red from the cold.

I just looked at her out of habit. What am I supposed to say when she asks why I’m looking at her?

‘Still…’

She must be really cold.

Well, she’s always been sensitive to the cold, ever since Kindergarten.

The funny thing is, despite that, she hates anything constricting, like scarves and padded jackets, with a passion.

Did she say she hated scarves because they made her neck sweat, and padded jackets because they were heavy?

If she had shown even a sliver of resistance to the cold, I would have understood.

But the way she shivers at the slightest drop in temperature while vehemently insisting otherwise makes it feel like she’s just putting on a brave face.

Anyway… even considering Yun-Seo’s sensitivity to the cold, it was an undeniably chilly situation.

The wind was blowing quite strongly, and we had been directly exposed to the falling snow.

By now, the snow melting on her head would have started to soak her hair, making her feel even colder.

Was it because her face, red from the cold, kept catching my eye?

A worried voice escaped my lips without me realizing it.

“Are… are you very cold?”

“…Huh? Uh, no?”

No? My foot.

Her voice is trembling.

Seriously… She’s talking about becoming a Hero and protecting countless people, but she can’t even take care of herself…

“Hey.”

“Yeah?”

“Wait a second.”

I stopped Yun-Seo and untied the scarf around my neck.

Then, in the short time it took her to walk a couple of steps ahead, I called out to her.

As she turned to look at me with a puzzled expression, I swung the scarf I held in both hands like a jump rope.

‘Gotcha…!’

The solid weight in my hands felt like I had caught a big one.

Was she surprised by my sudden action, which had effectively put a noose around her neck?

Yun-Seo’s eyes widened slightly, and her shoulders, covered in a light dusting of snow, flinched and trembled, causing the snow to slide off.

“Hey, w-wait…!”

“Wait, what?”

“Why… your scarf…”

Knowing it would be pointless to hear her out, I ignored her question and grabbed the loose end of the scarf, which was now wrapped snugly around her neck, and tucked it in.

Perhaps my hands felt even colder than her own already cold scarf.

Startled by my sudden action, Yun-Seo, who had been about to move, shivered.

“There, all wrapped up!”

As I watched her, I pulled my hand out and brushed it off as if to signal that I was finished.

My action seemed to have struck her as absurd, as her small, delicate lips, slightly visible above the scarf, twitched.

“So, what about my scarf?”

“Why are you giving me yours…?”

“Huh? Oh, it was feeling a bit stuffy. Just hold onto it until we get to the cinema.”

If I had said it was because she looked cold, it would have bruised her easily-pricked pride, so I deliberately made up a lame excuse.

“Well, you could have just handed it to me…”

I had a response to that.

“I’m sorry, but while I trust Oh Yoon-Seo, I don’t trust Oh Yoon-Seo’s memory.”

“What?”

“Think about it. How many times have you lost things in your life?”

When I mentioned her passive skill of losing things, Yun-Seo, who had quite the track record, seemed to have nothing to say.

Like a startled turtle, she tucked her chin in, hiding her flushed face beneath the scarf… Seeing that, I felt a little less worried.

‘Honestly…’

She’s making me worry with that Little Match Girl look on her face.

It was just a scarf, but it seemed to have warmed her up a bit. Her cheeks, already rosy, were now even more flushed.

As Dokgun gave his scarf to Yun-Seo and smiled to himself, Yun-Seo was busy trying to calm her heart, which had been racing since he had personally wrapped the scarf around her.

‘Ha… really…’

This was the problem.

He usually wasn’t like this, but occasionally showing this kind of affectionate side made it impossible not to get the wrong idea.

So, Dokgun was partly to blame for the misunderstandings she had harbored.

If he hadn’t acted like this just now, she wouldn’t have clung to her wishful thinking as if it were the truth.

Of course, she wasn’t going to confront him about it.

It was a bit embarrassing to admit, but… ever since she realized she liked Dokgun more than she thought, these occasional acts of kindness made her feel strangely elated.

As a result, it was quite a struggle to hide the corners of her mouth, which were twitching upwards.

The reason she had buried her face in the scarf, covering even her nose and cheeks, was because of this.

Perhaps it was because she had tucked her mouth and nose into the scarf.

‘It’s stuffy…’

It was definitely a bit harder to breathe than usual, and it felt stuffy, but… she felt as elated as she felt suffocated.

Naturally, the scarf, which had been close to Dokgun just moments ago, carried his scent.

It was a mix of fabric softener and the smell of sunshine.

Every time she inhaled, the scent drifted into her nostrils, and her heart pounded in response.

But what made her even happier was… Dokgun’s consideration.

He had said he did it because it felt stuffy, but that couldn’t be true.

He just… couldn’t stand by and watch her freeze.

It was a small gesture, but it made her incredibly happy.

‘But…’

Wouldn’t he be cold?

Thanks to the scarf he had given her, Yun-Seo was now warm inside and out, but Dokgun, without his scarf, looked cold around his neck.

And… although she knew she was in no position to say anything, the snow lightly dusting his hair and shoulders bothered her.

He kept brushing it off, but since the snow continued to fall, it inevitably got wet, and she couldn’t help but notice.

‘What if he catches a cold…?’

The moment she saw the convenience store sign, she darted towards it, hoping to minimize that possibility.

“Welcome!”

“Um, where are the umbrellas?”

“Umbrellas? They should be over there…”

It seemed everyone was in urgent need of umbrellas due to the sudden snowfall.

When she reached the spot the employee pointed to, only two umbrellas remained.

Both were plastic umbrellas with the convenience store logo printed on them.

Knowing how easily and quickly they broke, she hesitated to pick them up, but knowing Dokgun was waiting outside, she reached out.

She was about to grab both umbrellas when… she paused.

Originally, she intended to buy two—one for herself and one for Dokgun—but she wondered if she really needed two.

One would be enough if they shared. Why spend twice the amount when they could share?

‘…No need to be wasteful.’

Right.

Dokgun often told her to save her allowance.

Besides, there were only two left. If she bought both, it would be inconsiderate to the next person who might need one.

If there was another convenience store nearby, it would be a different story, but as far as she remembered, this was the only one around.

So… it would be better to leave one for someone else who might come later.

Dokgun would have found her logic absurd and baffling, but Yun-Seo genuinely thought so.

Therefore, as she picked up just ‘one’ umbrella from the stand and headed to the counter, there was no hesitation on her face.

Instead, it was filled with a strange sense of anticipation.