This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 150

What on earth just happened?

I couldn’t remember anything.

“…Yoonseo!”

All I felt was a sense of my consciousness getting consumed by something.

“Hey! Yoonseo!”

It was amidst all this chaos that I heard someone calling me.

The moment that voice echoed in my ears, my mind snapped back to reality.

It was a voice tinged with a hint of laughter, and I thought I would never hear it again.

That’s why I suddenly opened my eyes wide, not knowing when I had closed them.

And when I looked around—

“Are you excited again? Couldn’t sleep, huh?”

There stood Dogun, with a look half pitying, half incredulous.

“Geez, what are you, a little kid? Nah, kids these days wouldn’t do that.”

I couldn’t believe it.

I couldn’t trust what I was seeing right now.

“Uh, how…”

“What do you mean ‘how’? You’ve been nodding off since earlier. Did you have some weird dream or something?”

“A dream…?”

Could it be that all of that was just a dream?

All of it?

I couldn’t wrap my head around it.

To be precise, I found it hard to believe.

It was simply too vivid to dismiss everything as a dream.

“Ah, whatever! Just hurry up and get up. The others are waiting.”

But even as he said that, he tugged my hand and pulled me up, making it impossible for me to stay down, and I felt the warmth of his hand too clearly… it was confusing.

I couldn’t differentiate between what was a dream and what was reality.

“Uh, where are you going…?”

Yet I couldn’t help but ask about that one detail.

So, I asked, but at my question, he gave me a look like I was the one who had eaten something strange.

“What’s up, are you feeling sick?”

“Uh, yeah?”

“Remember? We were going to watch a movie together at school.”

It was only after he said that that I finally realized.

Dogun wasn’t wearing the uniform of Yeongang High; he was wearing the middle school uniform.

Does that mean all of that was truly a dream?

With that thought, my consciousness felt a bit hazy.

At that moment, Dogun’s hand gently covered my forehead.

“I don’t think you have a fever…”

Realizing this late made my shoulders jump and tremble, but a soft murmuring reached my ears.

“But just in case, if you’re not feeling well, do you want to rest in the nurse’s office? I’ll let the teacher know separately…”

And right after that, I could see the concern in his eyes.

Perhaps because that gaze felt as warm as the sunlight pouring through the window, I felt something swell up in my heart.

Maybe that’s why.

I realized it.

‘Right…’

It was all a dream.

The split at school, and everything that happened afterward… it was all a dream.

It couldn’t be otherwise.

With the warmth of Dogun’s hand, firmly held in mine, this couldn’t be a dream.

Therefore, it must have all been a dream.

Thinking this way eased the tumult raging in my heart, like someone stirring it with a stick until it calmed down a bit.

Yeah, Dogun wouldn’t do that.

He’s too perceptive to just act like that so casually…

“…Hey! Yoonseo!”

“Uh, yeah?”

“Hmm… you’re really weird today. You’re not sick or anything, right?”

“Nah, I’m just a little tired.”

“Hmm, well, you were nodding off just a moment ago, so…”

And after that came his implication that I should wash my face, disguised as a question.

I appreciated Dogun’s concern, but I declined.

If we delayed any longer, it would be a hassle for the others.

So… I should hurry up.

“…Let’s go quickly.”

“Uh, um…? O-okay.”

So this time, I took Dogun’s hand and started walking ahead.

Was he surprised that I held his hand first?

I could feel his fingertips twitching within my grasp, but I had no intention of letting go.

After all, my heart was still shaken by that terrible nightmare, and I needed Dogun’s warmth.

So for now, I couldn’t let go.

Maybe… it could last a bit longer.

Of course, because I held onto Dogun’s hand as we joined the others, stares were directed our way from all around, including from friends… but I lightly ignored it.

I couldn’t care about such things when the remnants of that horrendous nightmare still felt so vivid in my mind.

And it was only natural, but Dogun’s curious looks were the same.

Well, that would make sense.

From Dogun’s perspective, it must be odd for someone he’s known for ten years to suddenly behave differently.

But there was nothing I could do.

I couldn’t change what had just happened.

It was precisely because it was that terrifying of a dream.

That’s why, unlike the other dreams that fade away as soon as I wake up, this one lingered vividly in my mind.

However, thankfully, there was one aspect I was relieved about: even though Dogun looked at me with a puzzled expression, he didn’t try to pull his hand away.

Did he notice that I wasn’t doing well?

Anyway, thanks to Dogun’s silent support, by the time we arrived at the movie theater, I had calmed down a bit.

“Okay, okay, come get your tickets.”

And so, after settling down somewhat, the movie we saw was a thriller, unlike the romantic comedy about childhood friends that I had seen in my dream.

But then again, that was a dream after all.

There’s no way dreams and reality would be the same.

It was funny, but that realization was incredibly comforting.

Thanks to that, I understood that dreams were simply dreams.

So by the time the movie ended and we were leaving the theater, I had nearly regained my usual self.

The problem was what came next.

After feeling better, I realized it.

I realized it.

The date was November 11th.

‘Ah…’

That thought made me flinch and tremble for a moment, but… once I realized Dogun was right next to me, I quickly composed my expression.

‘Right…’

Maybe this was a good thing.

In the dream, I had held back my confession because I was embarrassed, stopping it at a vague level… but that was just a dream.

Perhaps someone was signaling me to grab this chance without hesitating.

Of course, it was a rather dreadful way to signal, but sometimes extreme methods can work better.

So then… I would confess today.

While handing Dogun the Pepero I had prepared… I would confess this feeling I had kept for so long.

That I liked him.

That I had liked him since I was seven.

I would say that.

Maybe it was because I realized how precious Dogun was because of what I experienced in that nightmare, but until now, hesitation had outweighed courage.

However, this time, the hesitation didn’t last long.

And with that determination, my heart began to race in accordance with it.

Naturally, I felt nervous.

I was so nervous that I could feel the sweat slowly building up in my tightly clasped hand.

But I didn’t intend to back down just because of that now that I had come this far.

‘Confession…’

When would be the best time to confess?

It would probably be best to do it after school, right?

So… I waited.

Even though class ended long ago, I pretended to pack my things while stalling for time.

“What’s up? Still not done packing?”

Then Dogun, who had briefly left to use the bathroom, returned to the classroom.

In that moment, I realized.

Now was the opportunity.

So… I opened my bag and slipped my hand inside.

And then I carefully pulled out what I had hidden inside.

‘Huh…?’

Did I… prepare something like this?

A giant Pepero that clearly showed signs of being handmade.

Looking at its pretty wrapping, I felt momentarily puzzled, but by then, Dogun was already right in front of me.

“Huh? What’s that?”

So instead of pondering my confusion, I held out what was in my hand toward Dogun.

“…You eat it.”

“Huh? Me?”

Could he have not expected to receive something like this?

Dogun’s face, as he unexpectedly took what I held out, was clearly showing signs of surprise.

“Ah…! Now that I think about it, today is November 11th. Wow… after ten years of friendship, you remember me like this. Yoonseo, you’re so loyal!”

For a moment, his exaggerated playful demeanor tried to hide his surprise.

As I stared directly at Dogun’s face, I slowly opened my mouth.

“…If it’s not out of loyalty, then what?”

“Uh, um…?”

At that very moment, Dogun froze in place.

“If it’s not out of loyalty, then what will you do…?”

With the heavy silence that followed, countless thoughts raced across Dogun’s face.

I couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

So I was anxious, but… I held my ground and waited.

I waited through my anxiety until Dogun reached a conclusion—

“Uh, um… If you have time, do you want to watch another movie? Not the one we saw this morning.”

After hesitating a little, Dogun cautiously made that suggestion.

“Are you asking me out on a date?”

“Well… I’m not really sure, to be honest.”

Could this be interpreted positively?

The one thing I knew for certain was that, even though Dogun stuttered, he hadn’t declined.

Of course, he hadn’t given a definite answer either, but… Dogun probably needed time to gather his thoughts.

In that case, all I had to do was make every effort to make his heart race.

“…Sure!”

I firmly nodded my head and immediately rose from my seat to make that happen.

Given my intentions, I felt like wasting any more time in the classroom was a shame.

That’s how Dogun and I exited the classroom and headed toward the movie theater.

“By the way… what was up with you earlier?”

Suddenly, Dogun, who was walking next to me, threw that question out.

“Huh?”

I was confused.

The question came so unexpectedly that I couldn’t understand what he was referring to.

Ah, could he be referring to what happened before we headed out to the theater this morning?

“Ah, that…? I just… had a weird dream…”

“Not that.”

I could’ve sworn he was talking about that, but I guess not.

Then what on earth was he talking about?

Before I could digest that thought, Dogun suddenly stopped walking, and—

“My phone.”

That remark reached my ears.

“Why did you ignore it?”

Something in my chest lurched.

“You could have answered.”

My heart dropped to my stomach.

“Did you really enjoy playing with those guys that much?”

I couldn’t turn around.

“I, I…”

I couldn’t bring myself to turn around, so all I could do was tremble in place.

“If you had only answered that call…”

A pool of red liquid began to seep in from behind and stained the ground bright red.

“I could have lived.”

Crack—

“Yoonseo…”

I heard something shatter.

“I…”

Whatever had come from behind rolled across the floor.

Suddenly, something touched my foot.

As I slightly opened my tightly closed eyes—

“It hurts so much…”

Dogun, with only his head left, looked up at me from within a pool of blood and said.