This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 370

There’s just so much on my mind, and on top of that, unexpected events keep piling up.

Now that it’s all over, looking back, it was just an ordinary day that wasn’t much different from my usual routine, yet I felt unusually exhausted.

Maybe it was just my mood, but at least that’s how it felt.

‘Should I just order takeout today…?’

As soon as I arrived in front of the house, that thought crossed my mind.

‘…Huh?’

Just as I stepped inside, contemplating what would be good for takeout, I was greeted by a mouth-watering, spicy aroma wafting through the air.

It had a scent that reminded me of spicy pepper paste stew, for some reason.

That smell filled the entire house.

Thanks to that, my body, which had suffered all day long, began to grumble audibly, unable to take it anymore.

But seriously, where is that delicious smell coming from?

Could it be that someone who got home earlier, because I was working late, couldn’t hold back and ordered something?

As I delved into that guess, I slowly made my way through the hallway, which felt unusually long.

“Ah, you’re back?”

Just before I could even reach for the doorknob, the door to the living room creaked open, and Bora peeked out, wearing an apron.

She checked my face and smiled brightly as if it was perfect timing.

“Everything’s almost ready here… Isn’t it funny how the timing worked out?”

So, what exactly is almost ready?

I soon found out.

Bora told me to change into some comfy clothes since all that was left was the final setup, and when I returned in an outfit that looked super cozy, a beautifully arranged spread greeted me.

Among all the dishes that caught my eye were the spicy pepper paste stew that was generously packed with tofu and pork, alongside a thick, fluffy rolled omelet.

At that moment, when my stomach was hugging my back, I honestly felt I could demolish at least two bowls of rice with just those two dishes alone…

But there was so much more!

Starting with glistening stir-fried potato shreds, followed by spicy stir-fried fish cakes, sweet and savory stir-fried anchovies, crispy fried tofu coated in egg, and refreshing bean sprout and mung bean sprout salads that would crunch in my mouth.

It was like a banquet of comfort food I think of when I hear “home-cooked meal.”

“Don’t tell me all of this… was made by you, Bora?”

Thus, I couldn’t help but ask in a slightly bewildered tone.

Considering the Bora I knew, who had lived under the strictest of management since childhood and couldn’t even cook instant ramen properly…

Yet the array of dishes on the table had clearly been lovingly prepared!

Naturally, I was in a state of cognitive dissonance.

‘Could it be…?’

It can’t possibly look amazing but taste terrible… right…?

I thought such visually stunning dishes couldn’t possibly not taste good; however, I couldn’t dismiss the likelihood—because I’d seen things like that multiple times in my life.

For example, in the student cafeteria at the university I attended in my previous life.

‘That was where I first learned fried food could be tasteless…’

Despite looking perfectly golden and crispy, the fried items had absolutely no flavor at all.

Having experienced such a baffling phenomenon firsthand, I couldn’t shake the possibility that the dishes on display could be similar…

“What’s up? Did you order something?”

While I was zoning out in front of the table, Yoonseo appeared, having parked after dropping me off.

“Perfect timing, isn’t it? We still haven’t eaten yet.”

“Right!”

Having met up with Chae-rim and the Senior from the parking lot, Yoonseo chimed in.

“Seriously… I really picked the right manager, huh? You must have been busy all day taking care of Yoonseo and still managed to prepare all this.”

After being busy all day and barely having time to eat, the thought of finally enjoying a warm meal seemed to lift my mood unexpectedly.

Chae-rim spoke cheerfully as if bubbling with excitement, and I interjected with a wry smile.

“Ah… actually, it wasn’t ordered.”

“Huh? Then what?”

Surprised that it was anything but my cooking, they looked puzzled.

Their eyes darted around, asking who made it, so I immediately pointed to Bora standing next to me.

“Uh, what? Bora made it?”

Their shocked reactions hinted they never saw that coming.

The amusing part was that Bora wasn’t the only one flustered by this sudden trio’s arrival; Chae-rim and the two others were, too.

For Bora, who had only been focused on me, adding three more people must’ve caught her completely off guard.

Considering the fact that there was only one set of chopsticks and spoons on the table, it was no surprise.

And since nobody could lean towards either side comfortably, the atmosphere turned awkward.

The weight of this new, unexpected presence felt heavier than we thought.

No one could bring themselves to say anything.

And it wasn’t any different for Chae-rim.

“Umm… Since it’s something Bora made for the first time, we shouldn’t let it get cold. Why don’t we all change into something comfy first…?”

Not being able to take it any longer, I rolled up my sleeves and stepped up.

If we kept waiting like this, everything on the table would turn cold before we even started eating.

Bora had put in the effort to cook, and there was no way I could just let that go to waste.

So I took the lead, and thankfully, everyone seemed to be waiting for someone to take charge.

“R-right…”

As soon as I said that, everyone nodded and dispersed, rushing to change clothes.

And when they returned, looking far more relaxed than when they left, dinner commenced.

Of course, the atmosphere was still slightly awkward.

One small comfort, however, was that even with so many people suddenly appearing, it looked like there would be enough side dishes to go around.

That was mainly because, whether it was the result of large portions or just being a novice cook, all of Bora’s dishes looked like they could feed an army rather than just one person.

The main dish that looked a little shaky was the rolled omelet, but they couldn’t all satisfy everyone’s taste, so that was understandable.

‘Nonetheless…’

It’s delicious?

Why is it so good?

Is this really the first time she made it?

Aside from anything else, the seasoning was nearly perfect!

Even the stew was impressive!

Considering that most amateur cooks struggle to get the seasoning right for stews or soups and often end up with bland outcomes, this was truly remarkable.

“How’s it…?”

“It’s amazing! Are you really sure this is your first time making it?”

Bora asked hesitantly, but I couldn’t help but shower her with praise.

To be honest, besides the Senior, who had been living alone for quite some time, Yoonseo, Chae-rim, and everyone around me couldn’t cook at all either. So I had worried about their abilities should they end up living separately.

But with this, it seemed like Bora would be an exception!

“What made you even want to try cooking?”

“Ah, well… they suggested I take a break from drawing heavier stuff I’ve been working on and try something lighter for a change…”

It turns out Bora had thought it would be better to include cooking rather than just regular daily life in her drawings.

“Oh, I see…”

So that’s what was going on—what an interesting turn of events!

“Plus… thinking back, it feels like I only ate the meals you made for Dogun…”

Bora added that she wanted to give back in some way, which was so thoughtful.

“Oh please, I do it because I enjoy it.”

“Still…”

“Honestly, it does feel somewhat fulfilling.”

“Really…?”

“Yeah, after being so tired today, I was thinking about ordering something, but eating this homemade meal gives me a boost.”

As I said this, I could see her cheeks blush as she smiled shyly.

“In that case, if you run into any issues or don’t know something while drawing that daily-life piece, feel free to ask anytime.”

“But… aren’t you busy?”

“Hey, no matter how busy I am, I have to repay you for treating me to this kind of meal!”

That’s just being polite, right?

Thinking that, I nodded along, yet I was completely unaware of the kind of situation my remark and actions would lead to.