This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 372

“By the way… how does it taste?”

Honestly, how many people could say ‘it’s not good’ when the very person who made the food was sitting right in front of them?

Even taking that into account, Chae-rim’s grilled eel was perfect, both subjectively and objectively.

So it was hard to believe.

To be honest, I’ve seen many people go around saying, “It’s not a big deal if I actually try; it’s just that I haven’t done it,” but I’ve rarely seen anyone who genuinely fits that description.

Could it really be that Chae-rim was one of those impossible cases?

“Whatever it is, it’s just perfect!”

“So, you mean it’s okay?”

“Yes.”

If I’m to speak honestly?

I wanted to ask how she grilled it.

After all, comparing it to what I grilled, it was like a professional had come in and done it for her.

“Thank goodness… I was worried it might not be good.”

“Considering what it is, you grilled it way too well.”

I was even starting to suspect if she had somehow used her talent while I wasn’t paying attention.

“Did you… use your talent while grilling this?”

I slipped that question out of curiosity, but who could have known that would be the right answer?

“I, I used a little bit…”

Who would have thought that would be the case?

“Sis…”

“Oh, it’s better than burning it!”

Though there was that little hiccup, the eel itself was incredibly delicious.

The sauce was especially fantastic.

It was so perfectly balanced between sweet and salty that I felt I could eat it endlessly without getting tired.

Yet, I was managing to control my eating speed because—

“Um… Sis?”

It was because Chae-rim, sitting across from me, was watching.

“Yes?”

What kind of look is that…?

What in the world is she thinking that her expression brightens every time I pick up a piece of eel?

“Are you… not eating?”

“Oh, I will.”

Then why was I only picking the body part from relatively far away, ignoring the tail that was closest?

Honestly, has it really come to this?

Despite wanting to pretend I didn’t notice, I couldn’t anymore.

It was just too blatant, the signals coming from Chae-rim.

And just as I was gathering my thoughts, Chae-rim punctuated my unusual premonition by saying—

“Oh! Should I order a drink?”

It was right after that.

“What? A drink?”

At first, when I heard that, I thought she was going to order a soda or something.

“Yeah, eating rice makes your throat dry.”

“So, if that’s the case…”

I nodded eagerly along.

But the instant I agreed, what appeared on our table was not a long, slender bottle of cola or soda, but a short, stout, and fancy-looking red bottle.

What was it, you ask?

Chae-rim was ordering not cola or soda, but Bokbunja liquor.

Goodness, Bokbunja liquor.

I knew the combination of grilled eel and Bokbunja liquor was a universal rule, but still, this was a bit…

“Sis…?”

“Yes? What is it?”

“It’s still working hours, isn’t it a bit much to have alcohol?”

“Don’t worry, it’s fine.”

“What?”

“Actually… I filled out a half-day leave earlier, before we left.”

Since that was about an hour ago, I figured the approval should have gone through by now. So with that, Chae-rim opened the cap of the Bokbunja liquor she was holding with a grand gesture.

With a crisp pop, the sour yet sweet aroma of Bokbunja liquor began to waft around us.

Could it be that I reacted instinctively to the scent that took over the area in an instant?

As it started to fill my mouth, I carefully swallowed and turned to Chae-rim.

“Uh, why suddenly a half-day off…?”

Why did she suddenly take a half-day off?

“Umm… Just because?”

“…”

“Just kidding, I noticed that from now on, things seem to be getting busier rather than quieter.”

“Is it because of Heogye?”

“Yes, I wanted to rest a bit while I could, to recharge.”

I could understand that logic.

“Above all… isn’t it a bit weird to rest once the project formally kicks off?”

“That’s…”

Well, it definitely was.

It couldn’t be helped since everyone expected a resounding victory for humanity, but things happening on the opponent’s home turf rarely went smoothly.

Once the project, currently in the preparation stage, really got underway, all kinds of unforeseen issues would likely arise.

Chae-rim must have realized this too.

So, she wanted to take breaks when she could.

‘In the worst-case scenario, I might not even be able to leave work…’

So, I understood why Chae-rim was behaving this way.

But still, wasn’t this too glaringly obvious?

Even if she’d taken a half-day off, having grilled eel and Bokbunja liquor was a bit much.

Aside from everything, just choosing the menu was too malicious.

I couldn’t help but feel that way…

Because it was clear as day what Chae-rim wanted from me.

She was definitely planning not to let me back away any longer.

How could I be so sure of that?

Well, I had been continually dodging her attempts this whole time.

As they say, when you’re standing, you want to sit; when you’re sitting, you want to lie down. After three years of a physical relationship with Chae-rim, she had expressed a desire to move to the final stage several times. However, every time she pursued that, I cautiously retreated.

The reason was… nothing particularly special.

I just had a few concerns on my mind.

It was similar to the ongoing relationship I had with my senior, which had persisted for years, and Yoonseo’s suddenly cold attitude.

‘Honestly…’

Being a guy, how could I not want it?

Especially not when it was Chae-rim, a beauty of her caliber, initiating it.

And yet, those things bothered me so much that I couldn’t indulge Chae-rim’s hopes, and I kept pushing it back with excuses like “let’s wait until I’m 20.”

At the time, I thought that was the best thing to do, but if Chae-rim had come to such lengths, it seemed patience was reaching its limit.

So, she was being this direct.

‘What do I do…’

If I’m truly honest?

I still hesitated.

There were still some parts that made me hesitate… but definitely less than before.

That was because over these three years, every time I dodged situations like this, the burden of guilt and regret had piled up like a mountain.

That piling was… equal to all those things that had made me hesitate until now.

Maybe that’s why I felt a little shaken differently than before, and it must have shown in Chae-rim’s eyes, sitting across from me.

“You’re not… leaving me to drink alone, are you?”

With that, Chae-rim held out a ceramic cup toward me.

“But if I drink too, who’s going to drive?”

“Just call a cab.”

They say even if the sky falls, there’s a way out, and here I was, trapped against the wall by one person, yet I couldn’t find an escape.

And since I couldn’t find a way to escape?

What else was there to do?

I had no choice but to accept my fate.

As I accepted the drink Chae-rim offered, I thought to myself.

As long as I keep my wits about me.

At least one good thing about all this was that what we were about to drink was none other than Bokbunja liquor.

‘Knowing that Bokbunja liquor has an alcohol content of about 13 to 15 degrees…’

That was lower than soju, so as long as I held on tight, I shouldn’t get drunk on this, right?

But as soon as I cautiously took a sip of what Chae-rim poured, I realized something was seriously off.

‘…?!’

Something was wrong.