This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 183

“About the exam, how did it go?”

The sudden comment that flew in left me momentarily speechless.

It wasn’t because I was flustered.

More than being flustered, I was simply taken aback.

What was said when I had just posed that question not too long ago?

Unless someone had meddled with my memory, I clearly recall that my response had been along the lines of questioning why I should provide an answer at all.

And now, here they were, unashamedly asking about it as if they’d completely forgotten that past incident.

The question itself was oddly rude.

‘…What?’

How did I do on the exam?

Just a moment ago, this very person had been bringing up qualifications, so why did they now want to know that?

What right do they even have?

I had felt they weren’t an ordinary person when I saw them a few months ago, but did the title of Hero really make one this shameless?

Whether it was the girl who had caused a scene at the training camp or someone with the Hero title being idolized by the public, did that turn everyone into such self-centered individuals?

What truly got to me was the fact that, despite my unease, I couldn’t afford to treat the woman in front of me carelessly.

After all, she was undoubtedly the benefactor who had saved Dogun’s life in what was surely a hellish circumstance for him.

It was purely for that reason that I hesitated to speak, but had my discomfort been reflected in Dogun’s anxious eyes all along?

“Well… I’m not the person who took the exam, so I can’t say for certain, but if it’s the Senior, then you’re probably among the top scorers.”

Dogun opened his mouth to respond on my behalf.

“Hmm, really? Ah, speaking of which, I remember you mentioned you were the temporary manager.”

The moment I heard Dogun’s words followed by that comment, a sense of impending crisis began to creep into my heart.

What was that attitude of casually believing in me?

Well, ignoring that part for now, just how much did they know?

Even amidst the chaotic clamor in my mind, the conversation between them continued.

“Yes, yes. Ah, of course… that’s only if the exam content hasn’t changed significantly from last year, though.”

In the ongoing conversation, Dogun displayed a trust toward me that was unchanged from before.

Yet it was strange; that fact didn’t bring me the same joy it had previously.

It wasn’t right to feel good now, given the atmosphere that surrounded us.

“Then it’s likely that your speculation is correct, Dogun. I took a quick glance, and it didn’t seem like much had changed since last year.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, well… from the Association’s standpoint, there wasn’t much they could do. With their manpower already stretched thin, I figured they couldn’t afford to micromanage the exam process.”

One month.

It was the time presumed to be spent together by the two of them.

A period that could be seen as short or long, depending on perspective.

Yet, the bond flowing between them at this moment clearly transcended what could be considered ordinary.

As evidence of that, when addressing Yoonseo, who was sitting across from them, the ordinarily curt attitude of that woman seemed astonishingly warm at that moment.

As if she were dealing with a one-of-a-kind benefactor.

In truth… if that were all there was to it, I wouldn’t feel this impending sense of crisis.

What troubled me the most was Dogun’s demeanor toward that woman.

At that moment, how Dogun treated her resembled how one would treat a reliable adult.

Of course, that was only natural.

To Dogun, she was a benefactor who had pulled him from a place reminiscent of hell.

Thus, it was understandable for him to act that way, but… that very normalcy over and over again stirred my sense of unease.

It couldn’t be helped.

Though I hadn’t spent as long by Dogun’s side as someone like the person next to me, I still considered the time we had spent together significant.

This was the first time, though, that I’d witnessed Dogun leaning towards someone else for support.

In my memories, Dogun had always been a source of strength.

He was someone dependable and trustworthy, who had never shown a weak side.

Yet now, he was leaning on that woman.

Not completely, but at least partially.

But why?

Was it because she was his lifesaver?

Or was it simply because she was an adult?

…It was unclear.

What was certain, however, was that I would never be able to become like that woman.

That much was evident, as I had always leaned on Dogun.

I had been so preoccupied with leaning on him that I never once became a source of support.

From the time we first met until now, it had always been that way, so in Dogun’s eyes, I was a person to look after, not someone he could rely on.

Absolutely not.

That realization only heightened my sense of crisis.

Knowing how powerful it could be to have someone to lean on at the beginning of any relationship was something I understood too well.

Why wouldn’t I?

At the core, what I held on to stemmed from that very understanding.

That’s why I felt uneasy.

There might have been no signs of it at the moment, but there was no guarantee that would remain the case in the future.

Moreover, recalling what that woman had said up to now, it seemed plausible that she and Dogun might even end up living together.

In such a situation, if either of them were to develop other feelings, the evolution of their relationship would happen in the blink of an eye.

It was in the midst of all those thoughts spiraling around in my mind that I began to feel more anxious, chewing on my poor lips without realizing it.

“By the way, why did you ask about the Senior’s exam results?”

The question, delivered in a cautious tone, echoed in my ears.

“Oh, that? I thought I might be able to use it.”

“Use… it?”

“Hmm, I’m not sure if it’s okay to say this here…”

Perhaps if it were just the two of us, Dogun wouldn’t mind, but with two other people present, it felt somewhat awkward to speak up.

I didn’t appreciate the hint that seemed to suggest I should step aside for their conversation.

Regardless, I was willing to step away if Dogun asked me to—

“It’s fine, you can say it.”

Fortunately, it seemed there wouldn’t be a need for that.

“Um… if you say so, Dogun… actually, what happened is…”

Just as I found some relief in those words, an utterly shocking statement spilled from Chae-rim’s lips.

To summarize what I heard:

Due to a certain reason, she didn’t feel comfortable sharing everything, but it turned out Dogun was now in a position where he could be targeted not only by the Association but also by villains.

In an effort to navigate that situation, Chae-rim had stepped in to negotiate with the Association on Dogun’s behalf.

The outcome of that negotiation was that instead of abandoning Dogun, the Association had decided to assign someone to be with him for protection.

The earlier comments about room availability were all related to that.

“That means you need a total of three rooms…”

“Will that be a problem?”

“No… if we mobilize the room we’re using as storage, it could work somehow. It could, but…”

“Then that’s fine. Whether it’s a storage room or a basement, all that matters is finding space for them to stay.”

“Is that all fine?”

Before Dogun could voice any differing opinions, Chae-rim continued speaking ahead of him.

“Anyway, the important thing is that the Association said two people will be coming, right?”

“Th-That’s correct.”

“But one of them is already confirmed, while the other one is still up in the air?”

Chae-rim explained that the remaining spot would be filled by someone who had achieved outstanding results in this year’s qualification exam.

“Outstanding results means…”

“Naturally, either the top scorer or the second top scorer.”

Her tone suggested there was no real value in paying attention to anyone outside those two, and it rubbed me the wrong way.

I felt that way because, upon hearing Chae-rim’s explanation, my heart began pounding for a completely different reason than before.

‘Is it possible…?’

There was a flicker of hope that maybe it could be.

My heart, soaked in that anticipation, started to race.

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And while I was too busy being inconspicuous, there was at least one person who had been silently observing everything unfold—

‘Not one, not two…’

The person who froze in shock, unable to keep pace with the sudden rollercoaster of events, was none other than—

‘Three?!’

Yoonseo.