This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 234

Dogun’s Perspective

Who could have imagined such a thing?

I mean, of all people, Bora would act like that.

It’s understandable, though; just looking at Bora’s usual behavior, her pride and ego could easily pierce the sky.

But for Bora to do something like this…

‘What on earth…’

How can naming a cat lead someone to behave like that?

I wasn’t the only one shocked by Bora’s sudden actions.

There were three other “people” competing with Bora in the same heat, and they were just as stunned, if not more.

Are they really that surprised?

Their eyes widened as they quickly turned to Bora, but the most impressive reaction came from Yoonseo.

What if the seniors or Chae-rim just widened their eyes?

Yoonseo not only had wide eyes but also had her mouth agape in disbelief.

For a moment, she stared at Bora as if she couldn’t believe it; then, perhaps recognizing that it was Bora doing this, she decided she couldn’t just sit still.

Yoonseo’s gaze, which had been glued to Bora, now fixed on the tiny kitten that had just emerged from the carrier.

And then… she started turning red from her cheeks.

The important thing was what happened next.

“Hey, hey, meow…”

In an instant, Yoonseo’s face turned crimson, and ‘that sound’ finally came out of her mouth.

Not stopping with just one meow like Bora, did she decide she should get as much out of this embarrassing situation as possible?

She immediately squatted down right there and began to make cat sounds to lure the kitten, all while stealing glances at me, making me feel just as embarrassed.

‘Cle, clehem…’

And I wasn’t the only one affected by Yoonseo’s antics.

Bora didn’t seem to mind that she only made one sound, but with Yoonseo being so proactive, I felt we might end up losing our chance.

Chae-rim and the senior began to act in their own ways as well.

The last person to join this newly formed competition was, interestingly enough, Bora, who had just emerged from her embarrassment.

And there I sat, witnessing the whole process as if I were in the front row of a concert…

‘Wow…’

There was nothing to do but admire.

How do I even describe this?

Is there even a word in this world that can express what I’m watching right now?

Even as I thought about that, the four of us continued our relentless kitten-luring efforts.

The kitten, having crouched by the door, couldn’t just stay still with all the ruckus from the front.

After a moment’s tremble, the tiny body that seemed smaller than my palm finally stood up and began to approach us.

So, who would it choose among us four?

The atmosphere was thick with tension, and I kept watching from behind the carrier.

“Hey, Dudu? Come to Mama quickly!”

Chae-rim’s careless comment was like pouring gasoline on an already tense atmosphere.

Thanks to that, the bizarre belief took root that whoever got chosen by the kitten would naturally assume the role of ‘Mom.’

Was that the reason?

While the competition intensified, making me a little indifferent to the sounds of ‘meows,’ the kitten kept trotting on, sticking to its own pace.

Finally, as the distance between the four of us and the kitten narrowed…

It made its first turn.

The direction it headed was none other than towards Chae-rim.

Having lived in the wild just a short while ago, did it instinctively recognize who might be the strongest here?

“That’s right. Hurry over to Mama!”

The moment Chae-rim noticed the kitten’s choice, an unmistakable smile spread across her face, and the kitten, which had been slowly approaching her, suddenly stopped in its tracks.

Then, it plopped down right there, sitting itself down.

Perhaps still a little too small, it must have run out of energy just getting that far.

‘Well, anyway…’

Does this mean its name is officially Dudu now?

As I contemplated that thought, at that very moment, the kitten, which was sitting there mewing pitifully, suddenly stood back up—

“Uh?”

And then, it abruptly turned to the side.

Ignoring Chae-rim’s frozen state, it resolutely continued on its journey.

Ultimately, the one who received that kitten’s choice was… Yoonseo.

“Meow…”

Maybe being proactive from the start had finally paid off.

Upon reaching Yoonseo, the kitten started purring and rubbing against her.

“Is it really me…?”

She seemed unable to believe the adorable sensation climbing up her ankle.

While Chae-rim, the senior, and Bora wore expressions reflecting betrayal, disappointment, or slight dismay, Yoonseo gently lowered her hands to scoop up the kitten, now named Miya, and began to nuzzle her face against it.

And just like that, a baby kitten joined a household that had only four humans living in it.

…

Ultimately, even though Yoonseo was chosen as the ‘Mom,’ the love and attention from the other three didn’t waver one bit.

Especially proactive was Chae-rim, who had been betrayed at the last moment.

Did the sting of that betrayal linger in her heart?

From that day on, Chae-rim enthusiastically began gathering everything a cat could possibly need.

Of course, the chosen Yoonseo and the senior who brought her home also contributed their share of toys, but since Chae-rim’s financial backing was on another level, her scale was entirely different.

As a result, I often found myself tagging along on those shopping trips, though to be honest, about half of it was out of my own volition.

There was no way I could just sit back and let my sister get carried away with her shopping spree, or soon enough our house would be filled with cat-related items!

Thus, my main role became to rein her in.

Still, even though it didn’t take long for our first-floor study, temporarily converted into a storage room, to fill up with various items…

Thanks to all that overwhelming love, attention, and resources poured into Miya, the tiny kitten that had once seemed so frail quickly regained its health and began to grow.

But cats are a curious bunch…

Tap, tap—

“Hey, you? Want some food?”

At some point, they started to look down on us humans.

What’s strange is that it was only toward me.

They rolled around and acted cute in front of the ladies, but with me? They inexplicably turned cold.

Considering I’ve fed it the most, you’d think it would be the opposite.

‘Is that why…?’

Regardless, I guess it’s adorable enough to forgive… but still, this situation feels tough.

“Don’t come to me like that; go to someone else and ask for food.”

As I said that to the kitten that kept tapping my ankle, who should stroll in but Yoonseo?

Well, I decided to hand it over to her.

“Look! Mama’s here. Go to Mama.”

I had purely intended it as a suggestion, but I wonder if Yoonseo interpreted it differently.

“Y-Yeah, Miya, stop bothering Daddy, and come over to Mama.”

Yoonseo, who had just entered the kitchen, paused for a moment, then flushed bright red, stumbling over her words.

As she fumbled, an undeniable smile spread across her face.

“Ahem…”

If it were me before this?

Not too long ago, I would have teased Yoonseo for not even being able to clean her own room, but today, for some strange reason, I couldn’t do that.

Not just today; at some point, it had suddenly changed.

I couldn’t pinpoint when precisely, but it was apparent now.

Thanks to that, unable to act as I normally would, I felt awkward while also having to retrieve the kitten that was still playfully swatting at my ankles.

In a flash, Yoonseo approached my side, bent down, and scooped up the kitten—

“But what are you making?”

She seemed reluctant to leave without making small talk, holding the kitten cupped in her hands.

Caught off guard by Yoonseo’s sudden approach, I stammered…

“Y-Ya! Hair! Fur!”