This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 371

It was a tiring day in many ways, but maybe because of the satisfying conclusion to it all.

When I woke up, my body felt strangely refreshed compared to usual.

With that in mind, I headed towards the kitchen with a light step—

‘…Hmm?’

The closer I got to the kitchen, the stronger an enticing aroma wafted through the air.

Should I say it was the smell of rich carbohydrates?

You know, that delightful scent when something bread-like is baking?

That smell was filling the house.

At first?

I was wondering where that delightful aroma was coming from.

So, I hastened my steps and found my senior right in the middle of the kitchen, earnestly making something.

“Senior…?”

“Oh, you’re up?”

Maybe she reacted to my footsteps.

She turned toward me as she flipped something in the frying pan and welcomed me.

And in front of her?

Bread was sizzling to a golden brown, soaked in bright yellow egg mixture.

“What’s with the sudden bread?”

“Oh, you know… I jog every morning.”

“Of course I know that.”

How could I not?

After all, I am her manager.

So, I nodded right away, and my senior smiled shyly as she continued.

“Well, while jogging this morning… I noticed a new bakery popped up nearby.”

“Really? Where?”

“You know that building with the jokbal place?”

“I know, I know.”

“It opened up over there.”

“I see…”

I guess I must’ve been more tired than I thought yesterday.

Because passing by there during my commute, it hadn’t stuck in my mind at all.

“Anyway! When I finished jogging and walked over there… the smell of freshly baked bread hit me.”

“That sounds… quite deadly.”

Having just finished jogging, I was already starving, and then to be confronted with the smell of freshly baked bread in that state?

How many people could remain composed in such an aggressive situation?

One thing was clear; my senior certainly didn’t seem to fall into that category.

“So, I bought whatever I could on impulse… but then I thought it might be a bit unfair to eat it all by myself.”

“Oh, so that’s why…”

Curious what prompted this, but now I understood.

“So, what were you making?”

“Just a simple French toast.”

French toast.

Not bad at all.

With some milk, it could make a solid meal.

“I happen to have one ready; do you want to taste it?”

“Me?”

“Then who else would be here besides you and Dogun?”

“Well… that’s true.”

While filling my empty stomach would be great, was she perhaps looking to get some good reviews on her cooking as well?

“Please take a bite and let me know if there’s anything lacking.”

“Okay!”

If that was what my senior wanted, I had no reason to refuse, so I took the piece she carefully offered and took a big bite.

As I bit into the golden-brown French toast, I realized—

‘Is this… jam?’

It was literally a festival of sweet and salty.

What could I say?

My senior’s French toast was no ordinary French toast.

People usually imagined French toast as bread dipped in egg and fried, but my senior’s included a few extra steps.

As soon as I took a big bite, the soft bread, already tender, became even fluffier with the egg soak, practically falling apart like pudding.

And together with that, the warm jam oozing from inside, felt even sweeter, just the right temperature from the bread.

As the jam dribbled and danced on my tongue, it was soon met with the distinct salty flavor of cheddar cheese.

And the finishing touch came from—

The juicy flavor released from the ham hiding underneath the cheese.

“How is it? Good?”

“Um, how should I put it… it’s… very…”

“Very?”

“Very… aggressive in flavor.”

“…?”

“What I mean is… it’s that delicious.”

Even though she asked for my opinion in case there was anything missing, was she secretly hoping for that kind of response?

“Really…? Thank goodness…”

With those words, my senior gently wiped her chest covered by the apron.

Thanks to that, my eyes had nowhere to look from the start of the morning, leading me to awkwardly clear my throat.

“Ahem…”

“Ah…”

Once I cleared my throat, did she realize that her recent actions might have been perceived differently by others?

Her outfit—a white tee, dolphin shorts, and an apron, gave off a slightly different vibe than just a casual apron, causing her face to turn a bit red.

“So… um… if you’re okay with it, Dogun…”

As she shyly peeked at me, she cautiously made a suggestion.

But—

“What’s going on? Is there bread for breakfast?”

Before my senior’s proposal could be accepted, Chae-rim suddenly appeared from afar.

Had she been so eager to make a suggestion, yet it got interrupted before it could be seriously considered, I wondered if that bothered her.

“Tsk…”

I heard a small sound of someone clicking their tongue in my ear.

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Maybe because the start of the day, in the form of breakfast, felt a bit different than usual.

Something seemed a bit… off for the rest of the day as well.

It was around lunchtime.

Since both my senior and Yoonseo decided to take a break today, I naturally ended up following Chae-rim.

“Oh, right.”

As lunch approached, those words slipped from Chae-rim’s mouth as she began to lead me somewhere.

At first?

I thought she had forgotten something urgent and was dragging me along to lend a hand.

Honestly, I had to think that way because Chae-rim’s expression appeared quite urgent.

So, I was hoping there might be something I could help with…

‘…?’

While I was thinking that, the place that appeared before us was quite a peculiar one.

I mean… the sign I saw upon entering clearly said it was a restaurant.

But upon entering and checking, it didn’t feel like a restaurant at all—

‘…A Cooking Academy?’

It looked closer to a cooking academy.

Naturally, I couldn’t help but express my confusion.

“Um… Sister? Why are we here…?”

I thought she looked so urgent pulling me that maybe something had happened, but why suddenly here?

To eat for lunch?

Yet the things immediately visible didn’t resemble a restaurant at all.

I must’ve been a bit bewildered at that moment.

“Well… soon it’ll be the ‘Boknal,’ right?”

An unexpectedly random statement slipped from Chae-rim’s mouth.

“Oh… is that so?”

“Yeah, probably this Saturday or Sunday.”

I see.

This weekend is Boknal.

Now that I think about it, it does feel a bit warmer than the days before…

I didn’t realize it had come around so quickly.

“So, what about that?”

What could this have to do with this weekend being Boknal?

I’d find out soon enough.

Perhaps right after I asked, a woman in a chef’s uniform walked into the room where Chae-rim and I were waiting.

“Are you the ones who registered for today’s course?”

“Huh?”

Course?

What was that about?

Before I could form a question in my mind, Chae-rim stood next to me and answered differently than what I just blurted out.

“Yes, that’s us.”

And with that answer from Chae-rim began?

“Okay, then let’s get started. First, do you see the eel prepared in front of you?”

It was a class on how to make grilled eel, regarded as a representative restorative dish along with samgyetang.

‘Why am I doing this…?’

As I stood there a bit dazed, I began to move along with whatever the instructor was demonstrating, and before I knew it—

A plate graced with eel was placed right in front of me.

“Now, enjoy your meal.”

The chef who’d been going back and forth between me and Chae-rim delivered that final line before exiting the room.

Confirming that, I cast an inquiring look at Chae-rim, who was nonchalantly setting chopsticks and a spoon.

Did my gaze manage to convey my confusion to her?

With a slight shrug of her shoulders, Chae-rim opened her mouth.

“I told you. This weekend is Boknal.”

“…”

“So, I thought I should give you some good nourishment, and since I heard there was a fun event at a famous eel restaurant, I decided to sign us up.”

“Oh, um…”

“And… you know? Eel is good for men?”

Just as she got that far, Chae-rim winked playfully and continued.

“In that sense… you know you have to chew each piece well, right? I made sure to grill each one just for you…”