This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 518

I wanted to dissuade those two, honestly.

Though I wasn’t exactly in a position to be concerned about my reputation, I still knew that starting off aggressively wouldn’t lead to anything good.

In contrast, those two who were diligently plotting didn’t seem to care about such things at all.

Did that mean they felt it wasn’t worth considering?

No, rather, it meant they were so infuriated that they might not even think of it.

Thinking back, it seemed quite natural, really.

It wasn’t surprising at all… If I were in Chae-rim’s or Yoonseo’s shoes, there was a high chance I would have done the same.

Receiving insults from those hiding behind the mask of anonymity online?

That always made my blood boil, but honestly, I could endure it by now.

After all, I had come to truly realize, while working with Chae-rim, the Senior, and Yoonseo’s manager, that the world is vast and filled with crazy people.

Moreover… I had some degree of faith that the Association, which literally could be described as ‘sincere’ in managing the heroes’ image, wouldn’t simply let those who crossed the line get away unpunished.

So, I had long since dismissed those incidents as mere outbursts of individuals who wanted to confirm that life is reality… but what if someone among those around me was in the same situation I had just experienced? And what if I witnessed it up close?

Of course, for an ordinary person like me, there wouldn’t be many insane enough to do something so crazy in front of heroes… But still, I would have rushed over and grabbed the collar of that audacious person or something.

Then I might have given them a hearty punch right in the face.

Predicting how I’d react to an event that hadn’t happened yet is hard, but considering how I surely would have responded, it seems like those two had already endured enough silence and inaction until they returned to the car.

Anyway, well… Given that half of it was out of my hands, I really decided to let those two do as they wished.

Honestly, from their positions, just managing to hold back from flipping the table right then and there was enough for them to fulfill their roles.

As for what happens next… honestly, that’d be karma, wouldn’t it?

I’m not devoid of feelings either.

In fact, the more unfamiliar this situation was, the more bitter it felt.

‘Though I’m somewhat prepared for this…’

Even I hadn’t expected to face insults that were borderline disrespectful in front of me.

Didn’t I tell that monster to stay cooped up at home instead of roaming around?

‘Well…’

Technically, I wasn’t wrong.

I thought of myself as still human and wanted to believe that was the case, but that was just my perspective; others might see me differently.

Maybe… that woman just didn’t like me.

Could it be that she disliked the idea of someone like me, a man, enjoying a fame she had never experienced?

Was that why she felt the need to yell such things in a crowded place?

I might have been faintly smirking at that thought.

Suddenly, I realized that the conversation between Chae-rim and Yoonseo, which had been echoing continuously, had stopped at some point. When I turned to look at them, I found both of them gazing at me with expressions and eyes weighted down by concern.

Given how hard they had been chatting, my silence must have inevitably caught their attention.

Just by facing them, their warm looks seemed to melt my heart, and they both spoke up.

“Are you okay?”

“The crazy girl just spouted nonsense without knowing anything, so don’t let it get to you too much.”

If I said I was fine, it would definitely be a lie.

And honestly… I wasn’t fine at all.

Of course, I didn’t want to be called a monster.

So while I wasn’t fine at all… being showered with the warmth of their gazes, like sunlight pouring down on a chilly winter day, made me feel okay despite it all.

Yeah, who cares what other people say?

And more than that… if I was worried about being insulted, the moment I became close with Chae-rim, I would have firmly pushed Yoonseo and the Senior away.

But I didn’t do that… If I think about it that way, maybe the insults from others were indeed my own karma.

Maybe it was because of how I approached the problem, but my heart felt considerably lighter compared to earlier.

In truth, the situation hadn’t changed much from before, yet I felt this way.

“Huh? I was just thinking about recipes, you know?”

Being able to toss out a joke of sorts while staring at the two still filled with worry was probably thanks to that change.

Fortunately, it seemed my joke landed well.

Chae-rim’s sister burst into a giggle.

“Really? What recipe were you thinking about?”

“Of course, the LA ribs you love.”

“Hmm… Can I look forward to that?”

“Come on, you know my skills by now.”

Just as I was exchanging light banter with Chae-rim, Yoonseo chimed in with a sulky tone.

“Hey, I’m the one who suffered while you were away, so why is the menu just for Chae-rim?”

“Well… because big sister handled the bill?”

“…Oh.”

If she had known it would impact her like this, she probably would have jumped in sooner. A look of grievance began to swell on Yoonseo’s face.

It made sense.

At that time, Yoonseo was too busy suppressing her anger towards the person who had insulted me.

The bill was probably a trivial concern at that moment for her.

I never thought she would look this indignant… now I had no idea what to say.

“Just kidding. I mean, didn’t you see me piling up the pork at the meat section?”

“Oh, um… I knew that? I was just playing along…”

“Hmm, really?”

“And what else are you going to make?”

“For now, kimchi stew?”

Perhaps realizing that after all my efforts, I was thinking of more than just Chae-rim and actually considering her too, Yoonseo’s expression brightened noticeably.

The kind of face you’d see on a soccer player who just tied the game 1:1 after trailing behind.

“And… I’m going to try making tonkatsu too.”

At that moment, Yoonseo’s expression became indescribably happy.

It made sense.

For Yoonseo, the tonkatsu I made was a special dish reserved for unique occasions.

‘It does take some effort…’

If it were just frying store-bought frozen tonkatsu, I would have whipped it up often enough.

Like with all fried foods, clean-up is a hassle. But still, that much isn’t really a big deal.

However… what Yoonseo loved was the meaty, thick kind that she’d only ever tasted when I personally bought the meat and cooked it — something you’d never find at a regular restaurant.

According to the self-proclaimed tonkatsu expert, Miss Yoonseo, anything less than that thickness would lack the chewiness.

The problem was, making tonkatsu from scratch is incredibly labor-intensive.

So, even though I used to make it whenever Yoonseo clung to my arm asking for it, I eventually stopped making it unless it was a truly special occasion.

‘Now that I think about it…’

It had probably been years since I made Yoonseo tonkatsu.

It wasn’t intentional, but given that we had drifted apart for a while, it naturally came to pass.

Perhaps that’s why Yoonseo displayed such overwhelming joy earlier—after all that time.

Maybe that was indeed why I suddenly found myself resolved.

I was going to truly express my ‘sincerity’ after a long time.