This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 517

“Here, it’s yours.”

“Huh? What? Did you change your car, sister?”

Despite the first impression, I started to find some affection in this situation thanks to nearly three years of being in her debt, but where did that amusing person go to be replaced by this dull character?

Pointing to a sedan that seemed more suited for older folks than the flashy car my sister used to drive, I gave her a puzzled look, only to receive a negation in return.

“No.”

“Hmm? Then what is this?”

Could it be that she rented it like Yoonseo did before her business trip?

But why would she have gone through the trouble…?

Back when Yoonseo rented a car, it was because she didn’t own one herself, but Chae-rim had been flaunting her expensive vehicle all this time.

So, was the car in for repairs due to some issue?

I thought it might be the case, but it turned out that wasn’t the answer either.

“Oh, this? It’s a courtesy vehicle provided by the Association.”

“I see that was actually a thing.”

I had thought there was no separate vehicle since she always drove her own car.

Maybe she just never took one in the first place.

“Yeah, originally, I thought about storing the old flashy one in the basement parking lot of the Association, but…”

Since her previous car attracted a lot of attention, she decided to use this one for a while.

And surely, the fact that she’d have to take me along played a big part in her decision.

“It’s a bit smaller, but the ride comfort isn’t too bad.”

As Chae-rim said this, she took the bags I was holding and started putting them in the trunk.

Yoonseo, who had briefly left to use the bathroom before we departed, joined in to help Chae-rim.

“Alright, shall we… head home?”

Home.

Just that one word made my heart race, probably because it had been so long since I last left that place.

I wanted nothing more than to drive straight home, but—

“Before that, can we stop by the mart for a bit?”

We still had things to do, after all.

“Huh? Why the mart? Do you need something?”

“No, not really. But since it’s been months since I was discharged, I thought it would be nice to have a small gathering for dinner.”

As I said this, I glanced towards Yoonseo in the back seat, seeking her agreement, and she quickly chimed in.

“That sounds good.”

“Right? Yoonseo, you’ve been abroad for a week, so you must be craving some Korean food.”

Even people who usually aren’t keen on Korean cuisine tend to miss it after being overseas, especially since Yoonseo had become a rice connoisseur due to all the meals I made for her since we were kids.

It’s not like I intended for it to happen, but it just turned out that way—now she can’t go without a spicy, hot soup during meals.

Plus, she doesn’t handle greasy food well, so the past week in China must have been challenging.

“Honestly, it was tough. I can’t stomach the military rations I was eating, and they just didn’t suit my taste…”

“Huh? Military rations?”

“Umm… I don’t really know why, but that’s what they served.”

“What? Were you just sitting there silently?”

“Well, what could I do? The language barrier was a hurdle.”

“Still, you should have made a fuss about it.”

As usual, she seemed timid despite her bold façade…

“Ah, forget it. It’s all in the past.”

“Still, treating those who came to help you like that just isn’t right, especially since they called you in a rush.”

Even as Yoonseo insisted it was done, I couldn’t help but feel unsettled about it.

So, I turned to Chae-rim, sitting next to me, to see if I should push for an official complaint, but my intense reaction threw her off, causing Yoonseo in the back to become flustered.

“I already told you, it’s over and done with. Why bring it up again?”

“No matter how inconvenient it may be, it just can’t be brushed off like that, right?”

“Ugh, I really don’t care.”

In the midst of our back-and-forth, it seemed there was a sudden decision made behind me.

“First, let me look into it. There might have been a miscommunication during the process.”

“Hmm… That’s true.”

“Alright, so let’s get out. We need to pick up some things.”

“Oh, what? Have we already arrived?”

I had to admit, a sedan is indeed quick.

I hardly even noticed that we were moving.

Once we entered the mart, with Chae-rim on my left and Yoonseo on my right, eyes immediately turned toward us.

I wore a hat and sunglasses, hoping to minimize attention, but both Yoonseo and Chae-rim stood out so much that my attempts at disguise fell short.

“What is this? Are those celebrities?”

“Are they celebrities? Where?”

“For celebrities, their hair color is a bit… off.”

“What? Why? They could be idols or something.”

“No idol would dye their hair that bright of a red.”

“What? Red? Speaking of which, wasn’t Lightning Lady sporting red hair?”

“Huh?”

Whispers erupted all around us.

Hearing this, Chae-rim bitterly smiled and muttered, “Maybe I should’ve just stayed in the car…”

She probably thought that if she wasn’t there, we could have avoided this unwanted attention.

However, my thoughts were slightly different.

Even if Chae-rim wasn’t with me, we still would have drawn attention somehow.

“Well, what can we do? Now that we’re here, we’ll just grab what we need and get out.”

Chae-rim smiled, playfully slapped my back, as if to say, “Don’t be scared with me around.”

At that moment, Yoonseo placed her hand on my shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

“Since we have to get used to it eventually, we might as well practice before the real game starts.”

With that—my flustered heart steadied, I began gathering the necessities as the crowd’s gazes were fixed on us.

.

.

.

In short, shopping wasn’t easy.

Chae-rim, although now serving as the vice-chairman of the association, hadn’t lost the popularity she’d built over the years. As soon as people began to recognize her, requests for photos and autographs popped up left and right.

And with so many people around, you would think they’d show a little restraint. Yet, their behavior seemed to starkly contradict that notion.

Yoonseo and I found ourselves quickly surrounded by people asking for attention, adding to the chaotic scene.

At one point, a few overly enthusiastic fans began verbally assaulting me—

“Seriously, are you insane? What did Dogun do to deserve that…”

Standing beside me, Yoonseo visibly bristled at what she heard.

You could tell she was genuinely angry.

If the one who insulted me hadn’t backed off instinctively at Yoonseo’s fierce demeanor, things might have escalated worse.

“Here, drink this and calm down.”

“Calm down? Does it look like I’m calming down? Some clueless girl is saying ridiculous things to you!”

Even as she spoke vehemently, her anxiety seemed to bubble beneath the surface as she chugged the beverage I had given her.

“Ugh…! Sister, can’t you do something about those girls from earlier?”

What did she mean by ‘do something’? Did she mean filing a complaint?

It seemed like that was the case since I sent a silent SOS glance toward Chae-rim sitting beside me.

Instead of helping, Chae-rim took it a step further.

“I’m already sending a request through the association to the mart for cooperation, so don’t worry.”

“Why are you getting involved too…”

“We’re going to sue, right?”

“Of course. But first, let’s secure the CCTV footage.”

“Excuse me…?”

Something was unfolding right before my eyes.