This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 426

“Um…”

Thanks to the help of the nurse sisters who were on duty, I managed to find where Bora was.

Now, what should I say?

I quickly rummaged through my brain, but nothing really came to mind.

“Uh… can I sit next to you?”

I ended up buying time with those words. To be honest, I thought that would be acceptable enough given the situation, but it seemed the emotional rift created by this incident was much deeper than I had anticipated.

“…”

Seeing no response to my question about sitting next to her, I figured it must mean something possibly troubling.

“Well…”

From Bora’s perspective, it was completely understandable to be frustrated.

If you look at it from her side, it makes sense. Yoonseo’s way of digging in was something else entirely.

Even as just an observer, I thought to myself, “Whoa, that’s rough…” so how much worse must it have been for Bora who was directly affected?

It wasn’t strange for her to react this way, but… I couldn’t just stand here blankly and leave after coming all this way, so I cautiously opened my mouth and called out to Bora once more.

“…Bora?”

Fortunately, it seemed my voice reached her safely this time.

Bora, who seemed lost in thought, suddenly jolted and replied, “Ah, yeah.”

She nodded repeatedly, looking a bit flustered. Although her movements seemed slightly awkward, I cautiously approached her and took a seat next to her since I had gotten the answer I wanted.

Once seated, I began to comfort Bora, who must have been deeply hurt by this incident.

.

.

.

What on earth should I even call this feeling?

It was quite a bizarre sensation.

Undoubtedly, even though Dogun was passionately talking about something, none of it was making its way into my ears.

Normally, regardless of what Dogun said—even if it wasn’t particularly worthwhile—I’d hear every single word crystal clear. But… it seemed my head was filled with entirely different thoughts.

Could it be the case?

Or maybe that’s precisely why this was happening, but honestly, it wasn’t something I could control.

No matter how hard I tried to clear my mind, any empty space was instantly filled with various thoughts born from doubt, flooding my mind.

So to be honest?

I felt like asking Dogun about it right then.

I wanted to know… if the two of them—no, not just Yoonseo, but also Chae-rim and Baeksulhwa—if they really had that kind of relationship.

Even though I had the words almost stuck in my throat, I ultimately couldn’t bring myself to say them, and the reason was simple.

I was scared.

Yeah, to be honest, I was scared.

I feared the words I would hear the moment I asked such a question to Dogun, and the eventual answer that would return.

That’s why I couldn’t bring myself to voice what was bubbling up in my throat.

Let’s be real; if I heard the exact answer I imagined, I wouldn’t know how to deal with it.

That’s why I chose silence for the time being, yet aside from that, my mind had already reached a conclusion long ago.

After all, now that I thought about it, there were clear indicators here and there.

There was no need to probe deeply; even just recalling Chae-rim and Baeksulhwa’s usual attitudes towards Dogun was sufficient.

Even just thinking of those made it clear… at some point, their attitudes toward Dogun had changed.

So… should I say they had become more open?

I can’t remember exactly when it started, but it definitely happened.

And back then?

I thought little of the change.

It wasn’t something I could have overlooked, as the bond formed through our shared struggles, like comrades, with Chae-rim and the senior-junior relationship I had with Baeksulhwa, coupled with the fact that I had once served as Dogun’s temporary manager.

To be honest, given that level of relationship, surely it would be ample justification for something more profound than a mere acquaintance.

Moreover, even though I was mindful of Dogun back then, it wasn’t to this extent, so I simply brushed it off.

However, now, after three whole years, reflecting back, I realize?

There must have been something going on back then.

How could I be so certain about something from over three years ago?

Well… it was literally the only possibility.

Moreover… framing it this way makes Yoonseo’s sudden distance from Dogun easily explainable.

Before, why was it impossible to connect the dots?

It was precisely because nothing lined up.

So considering why Yoonseo suddenly made that choice baffled me endlessly, but now that I have caught a glimpse of the truth, I can somewhat understand her position.

Perhaps Yoonseo… found out about the three of them in some way.

So maybe it was out of betrayal that she made that choice.

Thinking that way, I began to grasp Yoonseo’s choice, which had puzzled me until now.

But the funny part is, despite that understanding, I couldn’t arrive at the same decision as Yoonseo.

Because the name “Dogun” occupied too big a space in my heart.

And that was probably the same for Yoonseo.

Choosing to distance herself from Dogun due to betrayal, yet the weight of Dogun’s name in her heart proved too heavy, leading her back again.

That’s how their current relationship formed.

So what’s important now?

What to do from here on out.

Once upon a time, I thought Yoonseo was my fiercest rival, yet now I believe distancing myself from Dogun means I don’t need to care anymore.

However, comparing myself to the seemingly formidable Chae-rim and Baeksulhwa, I realized I was lagging far behind.

What should I do to catch up and stand on the same level as the other three now?

The more I pondered, the deeper my worries grew.

In the moment of deepening contemplation, perhaps my throat was parched from talking so much?

Or perhaps… I simply hadn’t felt the need to say much more since nobody had been responsive at all?

With my head packed to the brim with a flood of thoughts, Dogun’s voice, which was coming through to my ears, momentarily halted.

And, seizing the brief pause in Dogun’s voice, I opened my mouth impulsively.

“Dogun.”

“…Yeah?”

“Sorry, can I ask you something?”

Knowing that he might refuse my question, I braced for that possibility, but… Dogun briefly flinched before nodding, signaling that it was okay to ask.

Did Dogun realize what I was about to ask had no relation to Yoonseo at all, but was rather deeply connected to Chae-rim and Baeksulhwa?

Probably… not at all.

He wouldn’t have seen it coming, even in his wildest dreams.

And while I felt bad for putting him in that position, I thought I needed to address this clearly.

Because if I didn’t clarify this part, it felt like nothing else would go right in the future.

So…

“Dogun, do you… have that kind of relationship with Chae-rim or Baeksulhwa?”

I asked, looking directly into Dogun’s eyes to ensure he couldn’t evade the question regarding the three of us.