This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 232

Dogun’s Perspective

Well, it seemed like I had to eat anyway, and usually, these kinds of issues are best resolved quickly, so I hurriedly gathered the relevant parties in the living room.

Along with that, I also brought along Yoonseo, who had been lounging on my bed until then.

After gathering everyone together, what did I do next?

I started briefing the three who had just joined, swiftly extracting the key points from what my senior had told me.

Fortunately, while the trio was startled to discover a cat, they still listened attentively to what I had to say.

Thanks to that, I was able to finish my story without any hiccups.

“…So, given the circumstances, I think it wouldn’t be bad to raise this one at home as a kind of fate. What does everyone think?”

And just as I finished speaking, I turned my gaze toward Chae-rim, as she was the eldest present.

After all, there’s a saying that even cool water has its ups and downs, right?

“Huh? Me?”

“Yes, I was wondering what you, as the older sister, think about it.”

“Um… I don’t really mind?”

Is that a neutral stance? It seems she’s not against it but neither is she particularly enthusiastic.

That’s what I thought at first.

But listening to what Chae-rim said next, I realized that it wasn’t that simple.

“Oh, but you know.”

Did she have more to say?

Before she could look away, her gaze shifted back to Bora as she started to add something else.

What caught my attention was the serious expression on Chae-rim’s face, which contradicted her earlier nonchalance.

Even though she said it didn’t matter, it’s a big deal to take in a life, so there must be something she wants to clarify.

Seeing her solemn expression, I couldn’t help but mirror it for a moment.

It seemed like while I had briefly looked away, Chae-rim had started checking her phone for points to consider about raising a cat, as she soon turned to me with a question.

“I think if we get a cat tower, it’ll probably end up here in the living room, right? I wonder if something this big will fit?”

“Uh…?”

“Oh, right! We also need to buy a litter box for the cat and some litter to fill it, right? Let’s see, if I order now… wait, the minimum for that is tomorrow? Can’t it be shipped today?”

“Um, excuse me? Older sister…?”

“And this, and this too… Oh! What about this one? Have you taken it to the hospital for an exam yet?”

“What? Ah, yes… they said there’s no major issue.”

“Really? That’s a relief.”

Thanks to this, I realized.

Despite saying it didn’t matter, Chae-rim was clearly filled with thoughts of raising a cat.

Her actively ordering necessary items on the spot and her attitude made it seem like she was someone desperate to raise a cat.

And unbelievably, that was indeed the case.

After the whirlwind of Chae-rim’s frenzied shopping came to an end, I learned that she had been wishing to raise a cat for a long time.

Even though she had both the will and the means to make it happen, she hadn’t been able to act on her desire before because—

“Actually, my mom has a cat allergy.”

“Oh…”

So she had half-given up thinking it wasn’t meant to be in this life, but now, the opportunity to raise a cat had come as if by fate.

Naturally, she couldn’t help but be excited.

“But you’re okay, right?”

“Huh? About what?”

“About the allergy.”

I had asked out of curiosity, but at that moment, Chae-rim shoved her phone in front of me.

And just like that, the screen displayed a picture of Chae-rim surrounded by several cats at what was obviously a cat café, her face blushing red.

Thanks to that photo, I suddenly realized.

Just how meaningless my question really was.

Yet, on the other hand, I felt a bit strange… It was as if I was peeking into one of her secrets by looking at a picture of no one other than Chae-rim making that face.

“Why? What’s going on?”

“Ahem, anyway, then I’ll take that as a yes from you…”

“What on earth did you see that made your face turn so red?”

“Um… Bora?”

“Excuse me? Are you not listening to what I’m saying?”

“What do you think?”

“Me…?”

Upon being asked, Bora slightly flinched at first, but then she slowly nodded while glancing at the baby cat rolling around in the carrier on the table.

“…Yeah, I don’t mind either. I don’t have any allergies.”

It seemed she wasn’t responding out of fear of the surrounding looks.

The proof was that she had been glancing at the cat more frequently than before.

Anyway, with Bora, the last relevant person, agreeing to raise it, it was now time to think of a name…

“Wait—!”

Before I could even voice my thoughts on what to name it, Yoonseo was faster to interject.

“Why aren’t you asking me?!”

“Huh? Well…”

You don’t live here, right?

That was a joke, of course.

“Hey, Yoonseo.”

“What?”

“If you’re going to say that, you should probably put down the cat toy you’re holding first, right?”

I clearly remembered that she had been in the carrier with the cat until just earlier, so when did she take that out?

Moreover, it wasn’t just something she was holding.

She was shaking it in front of the cat and making jingling sounds with the part that made the noise every time she shook it.

After all that, she was the one who was overly excited about welcoming it, yet now she complained about not being asked.

“…Hehe.”

“And you might be afraid of dogs, but you like cats. You don’t have any allergies.”

I fully knew that, so why was she acting like she was against it?

With that, my words came to an end; perhaps she was a bit embarrassed since her face turned red, and she pouted.

“What? No way… I never said I was afraid of dogs…”

“Is that so? Then who exactly is the person who hid behind me every time we jogged and met a dog?”

“Ugh…”

She probably had nothing to say since she had done it herself.

Bringing up the fact that Yoonseo had sunk back down with a soft noise that sounded like a kettle boiling, I continued what I meant to say.

“Anyway! Now that we’ve decided to raise it here, it’s time to decide on a name…”

What could be good?

I thought for a moment, but nothing came to mind that stood out.

After all, I didn’t have much faith in my naming sense.

“Does anyone have any good suggestions?”

I looked around at those sitting around the table and asked, and truthfully, that was the reason for my question.

I intended to hear others’ opinions and then pick a few good ones to have a simple vote.

But for some reason, my question seemed to act as a trigger.

Suddenly, the atmosphere around us changed oddly.

It became… taut, I suppose.

Everyone began glancing at each other as if they had made some unspoken pact, as if they were checking out what the others thought.

Thanks to that, I found myself unexpectedly caught up in the mix.

It was hard to believe picking a cat’s name could be so tense.

‘Of course, names are important, but…’

Is it truly necessary to be this conscious of others’ opinions?

Thus, I was pondering about that when everyone seemed to arrive at the same conclusion simultaneously.

“What about calling it Winter since we met in the winter?”

“…Ink?”

“How about Dudu?”

“…Miya!”

Maybe that’s why.

As all their suggestions came out simultaneously, the atmosphere became even more strained than before, as if everyone had something they absolutely couldn’t concede on.