This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 259

Chae-rim’s Perspective

The car carrying Chae-rim and Dogun sped along the surprisingly quiet road for a weekend.

Of course, that didn’t mean there were no other cars around at all.

There were indeed some.

There were some, but none dared to get close to the gigantic vehicle that was rushing down the road with them inside.

It was no wonder, considering just how large and imposing it was.

‘No way, what kind of crazy person drives something like that…’

‘But isn’t that a super expensive car?’

‘Where have I seen that car before…? I’m sure I’ve seen it somewhere…’

Such thoughts created a small vacuum of silence within the car, which was filled only by the rumbling of the enormous engine as it rolled forward.

And even that noise barely made itself heard against the sheer size of the vehicle tearing down the road.

Perhaps that was why.

The heavy silence that had reigned inside the car since they set off had become so overwhelming that it felt difficult to breathe.

If it were a normal situation?

Before the silence could stretch that far, either Dogun or Chae-rim would have broken it first.

Both Dogun and Chae-rim struggled with such tense atmospheres, so it certainly would have happened.

Yes, if their state had been the same as usual, it definitely would have.

Without a thought, they would have jumped in to liven things up somehow.

However, today was different.

Today, neither of them showed any desire to break the silence first.

It couldn’t be helped.

On top of being dragged into an unexpected trip to Busan, Dogun was having a meltdown trying to read Chae-rim’s mood behind the steering wheel, while Chae-rim herself was trapped in a whirlwind of her own thoughts.

With so many thoughts swirling around, she had no room to turn her gaze elsewhere.

And those thoughts were all about Dogun.

What else could it be?

Holding the steering wheel tightly with both hands, Chae-rim was currently contemplating the earlier events.

Of course, it didn’t have any lewd implications.

She wasn’t fixated on what Dogun had done, but rather why he had gone out of his way to lie and mislead her in ways he’d never done before.

The more she pondered that reason, the more Chae-rim started to feel somewhat sympathetic towards Dogun’s actions.

‘Well…’

In Dogun’s position, it was understandable.

He must have been feeling overwhelmed.

Moreover…

‘He’s at that age…’

Admittedly, Dogun was more mature compared to his peers.

It was also true that he occasionally displayed moments of startling thoughtfulness.

Yet that didn’t change the fact of his age.

But to be living under one roof with not one, not two, but three members of the opposite sex during such a stage of heightened interest couldn’t be anything but stimulating.

Every time he received that kind of stimulus, it was natural for his primal urges to build up inside him.

If there had been a way for him to release it?

Then a situation like today, where they awkwardly avoided facing each other, likely wouldn’t have occurred.

Yet due to the living situation and the need to protect Dogun’s safety, he hadn’t been given a chance to let it out, and that had ultimately created the predicament they were in today.

Thus, while it was somewhat understandable why Dogun acted this way…

That didn’t mean she was going to just let it slide.

If nothing had happened while Dogun was alone at home, it would have been a different story; but if the Queen of Another Ones and those Villains who had teamed up with her had found out he was alone? That could have put him in serious danger.

So she meant to scold him never to do such a thing again…

Yet whenever she tried to speak, the words just wouldn’t come out.

It was unavoidable, really, as every time she attempted to say something, that particular scene floated back into her mind.

And…

What Dogun had been tightly gripping in his hand…

It was that which made her shut her eyes momentarily before opening them again.

She needed to clear her head somehow; otherwise, that troublesome scene would never leave her mind.

It felt as though her thoughts were filled to the brim with it, threatening to turn her face crimson.

And what if Dogun seated next to her saw her like that?

What if he caught onto those thoughts?

At that point, she might truly end up dying of embarrassment.

‘Ah, no good…’

It seemed like scolding Dogun would have to wait until they arrived in Busan.

Thus, she tried to divert those thoughts somewhere else, but once that flame was lit, it only grew stronger against her efforts to push it down.

And where had that train of thought led her to…?

‘So, is it that hard for a Man to hold back…?’

It was a question like that.

If she had the knowledge and experience to answer that neatly, it wouldn’t have been so awkward.

During her student days, she had been too busy preparing for qualifications, and even after passing, her life as a Hero left no time to date anyone.

Thus, she had no experience to draw from.

As a result, it brought a hint of embarrassment.

In times like this, the adult version of herself should ideally be soothing and comforting Dogun, who must be quite shocked, but sadly, she couldn’t do that.

At the same time, there was a slight twinge of guilt.

It was inevitable, considering that Dogun’s actions must have stemmed, at least in part, from her own influences.

No, if she thought about it, her shortcomings might have been the biggest factor…

Not that it mattered now, but in the past, she had been too lazy to dress comfortably at home.

She had been inconsiderate, to say the least.

Though regret now was pointless; the deed was already done, after all. But looking back, that was the truth.

And that side of her must have been an enormous stimulus for Dogun, who was right at that age.

Had she started to think in such a way?

An uneasy sensation stirred within her.

Dogun had been overly conscious of her all this time, which only made it worse.

At this rate, he could easily end up looking like someone who had committed a grievous crime.

Honestly, it wasn’t to that extent.

‘Or maybe…’

Was Dogun’s excessive wariness towards her due to…

At that moment, a hypothetical thought flashed in her mind, and her face heated up.

It was precisely why she suddenly turned the car towards the rest area entrance.

She knew there was no time to waste, but if she didn’t get even a moment to calm down, she felt like her mind would be stuck in a bizarre loop all the way to their destination in Busan.

So, even with little leisure, she detoured to the rest area to take some time to gather her thoughts, but once that train of thought had settled in, it continued to float aimlessly even after arriving in Busan.

What was the original plan?

Upon arriving in Busan, her first thought was to stop by the motel she’d booked for Dogun and assign him his room.

It would have been great if she’d reserved it in advance, but since Dogun’s involvement was settled almost on the spot, she had figured there would be space available in a suite room, at least.

So she thought it would be fine…

“There’s no available rooms…?”

“Yes… I’m sorry, but given the event period…”

What was this?

No available rooms.

Even when she lowered her request to a regular room, the reply remained the same.

She even tried inquiring with nearby hotels, but the situation was just as dire there.

“If it doesn’t work out, I can just stay at a motel or something…”

“…No. That’s too dangerous.”

What was the reason for only considering the specified hotel recommended by the Association to begin with?

It was because it was the safest from various potential hazards.

But a motel?

She couldn’t possibly allow that.

So what could she do?

“…Let’s just go up for now.”

“…Huh?”

“Anyway, there will be multiple rooms…”

It was a suite, after all.

And if there were multiple rooms?

They could just divide and take their rest.

‘Right…’

Was there really a need to book separate rooms?

It would actually be much safer to share a room, considering what had happened.

Sure, it might be somewhat awkward for both sides, but could they endure that?

After all, it was just for one night.

As long as they were careful around each other, nothing bad would happen.

Muttering that to herself, she took hold of Dogun’s hand, who had a troubled expression, and headed towards the elevator.