This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 270

Yoonseo’s Perspective

Thanks to taking a more proactive stance, some noticed early on the changes between Dogun and Chae-rim, while others were so distracted by other matters that they hadn’t figured it out yet.

What can I say about it?

Yoonseo was one of those who hadn’t quite captured the whole picture.

Of course, Yoonseo wasn’t completely oblivious. She had made some attempts to act.

The day after Dogun returned from Busan, she had her own ideas in mind, and as soon as the oppressive dormitory life ended, she rushed over to him, asking why he hadn’t answered her calls.

In fact, her realization that something felt off about Dogun stemmed largely from that moment.

What if she hadn’t directly gone to ask Dogun?

What if she hadn’t personally witnessed his reaction?

There was a real possibility she would have let it slide without giving it another thought.

As you can see, the catalyst was none other than Dogun’s reaction.

When she asked why he hadn’t picked up the phone, he happened to say it was because the villains were attacking the hotel at that moment, which startled her, prompting her to dig deeper into the matter.

“…It’s not like it was a good thing.”

Dogun seemed reluctant to answer that.

Specifically, he seemed to shy away from discussing what happened that day.

Had he perhaps experienced something unfortunate?

At first, she thought that might be the case.

For someone like Dogun, who disliked causing trouble for others, it wouldn’t be strange to avoid specific mention of it.

She felt that he seemed to be withholding information so she wouldn’t worry… and while she appreciated this thoughtfulness, it also left her feeling a tad disappointed.

It was naturally delightful when someone you like is considerate of you.

But still… she wanted to know.

Especially when it was about Dogun.

But when he wouldn’t tell her, she felt inexplicably upset.

So, she poked him lightly out of annoyance… and in the process, she realized something.

Something felt very off.

What should she say?

Dogun’s demeanor was oddly calm for someone who had gone through something worrisome.

And perhaps because of her changing perspective…

Things that hadn’t caught her eye earlier began to stand out.

Like… when she asked about what happened in Busan, he kept clearing his throat unnecessarily, as if trying to change the subject.

At first, she assumed he was simply being evasive, but now she thought it was more… embarrassment.

Every time that awkwardness happened, Dogun’s hand would move to scratch the back of his neck, a clear sign.

After all, he only scratched that spot when he felt shy or awkward.

But why…?

Why was he embarrassed…?

What on earth happened in Busan?

Naturally, she had no way of knowing.

From Dogun’s reaction, it seemed unlikely he would share anything even if she pressed further.

So, she was simply left sulking in her thoughts.

“I’m just stepping out for a moment.”

As Chae-rim’s voice echoed from the hallway, Dogun shot up from his seat, reacting almost like a reflex.

Miya, who had been lazily flying around Dogun, searching for food, was startled and sprinted to the kitchen.

Maybe that embarrassed him a little.

“Ahem… I’ll just see my sister off for a minute.”

Dogun, still standing, coughed, then left the living room with that comment.

Following him out of the living room was truly a mindless action.

It wouldn’t take long since he was just seeing her off, but being alone in the living room felt a bit awkward.

So, she trailed him without much thought… but as soon as they stepped out into the hallway—

“Uh… when will you be back?”

“Uh, well… it might be quick, but it could take longer…”

“Then what about dinner? Should I save some for my sister?”

“No, that would be a hassle…”

“I don’t mind at all. I’ll put something in the fridge for later. Just don’t settle for ramen like last time. Please take it out and eat when you get back.”

“Uh, yeah… thanks…”

The atmosphere, somehow awkward yet a little fresh, was reminiscent of newlyweds who had just recently tied the knot.

‘…?’

Back on the Saturday Dogun had left for Busan, the vibe between them hadn’t been like that at all.

It was just the usual atmosphere.

So what had caused the shift to something so different?

‘Could it be…?’

An ominous thought gently climbed into her mind right then.

Every time she queried about Busan, Dogun’s behavior showed an unusual embarrassment.

And the odd vibe between them, contrasting with his departure…

Plus, her sister’s reactions that mimicked Dogun’s…

All of those things began snapping together in her mind like pieces of a puzzle.

She was almost amazed at how there were no contradictory pieces.

‘No way… that’s not it.’

At first?

She denied what had formed in her mind.

It was understandable because no matter how she thought about it, it seemed unlikely.

This was exacerbated by the fact that there was a significant age gap between them.

There was no way Chae-rim, if she had any sense of conscience, would act that way.

Honestly, even a few years’ difference feels like a vast chasm, and this was several times more than that.

The numbers may multiply, but considering reality…?

When Chae-rim just graduated high school and started her hero career, Dogun was still an elementary school student.

The age difference was indeed stark.

It almost bordered on “criminal.”

Besides, wasn’t Dogun still in high school?

That only amplified the improbability.

Who was Chae-rim?

She was literally the beacon of justice, the Lightning Lady.

There was no way she’d cast her eye on a high school student like that.

If such a thing were to actually happen…

Chae-rim would be sabotaging her own carefully crafted image.

Not to mention… high schoolers are best matched with other high schoolers in a picture-perfect way.

Just when she had calmed her tumultuous thoughts…

All her efforts evaporated in an instant when she saw something ‘off’ on Dogun’s face.

‘Why…?’

Why was his face turning red?

Huh?

What on earth happened in Busan?

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Baeksulhwa’s Perspective

At that very moment, when someone’s eyes were nearly extinguished, Baeksulhwa was deep in self-reflection in her room.

And she wasn’t just reflecting casually; she was cross-legged as she sat.

After assessing her own actions, she came to the conclusion:

‘…I let my guard down.’

And yes, she had to admit it now.

She had been so intoxicated with the thought that she had the upper hand over Yoonseo, that she had dropped her guard.

During the time she was so relaxed, who could’ve known that such a… relationship would develop between Chae-rim and Dogun?

In hindsight, she must say she hadn’t really regarded Chae-rim much before realizing the changes between them.

While she paid more attention to Yoonseo, she thought Chae-rim didn’t need to be monitored closely.

Of course, she knew that Chae-rim had some awareness of Dogun.

The bond they had from sharing life and death experiences must have impacted that somewhat.

Still, even knowing this, she felt no need to keep an eye on Chae-rim, thinking the age difference would keep her in check.

Thus, she focused on obsessively watching Yoonseo and creating a differentiation between them. She never imagined that in the meantime, Chae-rim would leap ahead like this.

Thinking that it was all due to her lapse in vigilance made her stomach churn, but rather than dwell on that now, it was better to concentrate on formulating counter-measures.

‘So…’

What should she do going forward?

How could she, taking advantage of a gap in attention, catch up even a little to Chae-rim, who had already made such progress?