This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 528

“Did you wait long? Let’s go eat.”

“Hm? What about the Secretary?”

“I asked her if she was free, but she has prior plans today, so she said it might be tough. She promised to make time next time, though.”

“Oh, I see…”

Just when I thought we could all gather together for a meal, it turns out she has a prior engagement.

I can’t just demand she cancel a scheduled meeting just because we want to eat together.

That would be unreasonable and not something I could ask the Secretary, who genuinely works hard for Chae-rim.

So, what can I do?

As disappointing as it is, I can only look forward to the next time.

“Then, it looks like it’ll just be you and me eating today, huh?”

“Are you unhappy about that?”

“No, it’s actually great!”

Even when I was stuck in the hospital room, I managed to have somewhat of a date-like feel with Yoonseo, the Senior, and Bora, but Chae-rim was always so busy that it was hard to make it happen.

I can’t force someone who is constantly drowning in work to do that, right?

But now…?

Isn’t it kind of nice to pretend we’re on a date just by using lunch as an excuse?

Of course, for that to happen, I had to get Chae-rim’s agreement, so I tentatively brought it up, and before I knew it, I saw the corners of Chae-rim’s mouth lift slightly.

Seeing how much she liked my idea made me ponder whether I really needed to distinguish between just the two of us and the others.

If we’re going to create the feeling of a date, wouldn’t it be more pleasant to have a longer one rather than a short, fleeting moment of it?

‘Food…’

We can eat while enjoying each other’s company, right?

There’s no rule that a date has to involve only extravagant menus.

I admit that what we eat plays a significant role in establishing the mood, but isn’t it more about who you’re dining with?

“Sis.”

“Yes?”

“Did you make a restaurant reservation?”

“No, not yet.”

“That’s perfect then.”

“Huh? Why? Do you want to eat something specific?”

Seeing my reaction to her not having reserved anything, she must have interpreted it that way.

“No, it’s nothing like that.”

“Then?”

“I have a place I want to go with you.”

“Huh? With me?”

“Yes, with you.”

As I smiled and replied, it was clear that Chae-rim’s curiosity was piqued.

Soon, her curious gaze landed on me, but I had no intention of spilling the beans just yet.

After all, keeping it a secret until the right moment ensures a better reaction later.

So, rather than satisfying her curiosity, I wore a mysteriously meaningful smile and urged her on.

“I’ll input the address, so shall we go check it out?”

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So just where are we heading?

I was intensely curious but chose not to press Dogun for answers.

After all, we were barely five minutes away from the destination, and the longer you wait, the greater the joy when you finally get there.

I held my patience as I continued driving—

“Hm… Where are we…?”

Then we finally arrived in front of what I guessed was the address Dogun entered, and I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed.

It couldn’t be helped, as the first thing that caught my eye upon arrival was a motel sign.

After hearing Dogun suggest we act like we’re on a date, I had my hopes up, but… a motel?

Given the picture I had painted in my mind, it was natural to feel let down.

Of course, I didn’t dislike the idea of spending time with Dogun in ‘that’ way.

If I had to choose, I would lean heavily towards the ‘like’ side, but… when you think of a date, it usually calls for something a bit different, doesn’t it?

I was secretly expecting something like that, and heading straight to a motel seemed a little…

Suppressing my rising disappointment, I stepped into the elevator with Dogun.

Unlike motels that take over entire buildings, this one had only the 4th and 5th floors as motels, meaning I would first need to go to the 4th floor where the counter was—

‘…3rd floor?’

Dogun pressed the button marked ‘3’, not ‘F’ or ‘5.’

‘Wait, could it be…’

Was the motel not our destination?

Unbeknownst to me, not only was I misunderstanding, but I had even started to feel slighted by Dogun…

Was it because of the sudden realization?

Like a pot of water reaching its boiling point, I felt a rush of warmth spread across my face, but I couldn’t let it show outwardly.

Ding—!

As if teasing someone who felt embarrassed, the elevator bell rang cheerfully, announcing our arrival at the 3rd floor.

And just as the elevator doors opened, I found myself led by Dogun into a place that felt almost like a different world.

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To say it candidly, Chae-rim has been relatively deprived of usual young adult memories, since she’s worked as a Hero candidate during her school days and continued as a Hero beyond the age of 20.

Despite unspoken, there was a certain longing for ordinary experiences.

That’s precisely why I chose ‘this place’ for our date—consideration for Chae-rim’s feelings.

‘Well…’

Not only that, but being able to solve a meal while on a date was also part of my plan, and once we were inside, we wouldn’t have to mind anyone else’s stares.

Considering the volume of work Chae-rim has to handle, ensuring she eats regularly was a necessity, and if we’re going to date, wouldn’t it be nicer to keep it just between the two of us rather than attracting attention from others?

‘Moreover…’

Even though she looks like someone who isn’t interested at all, Chae-rim gets surprisingly into it when it’s right in front of her.

Of course, she wasn’t always this way.

When we first met, she showed little interest in such things.

But… living alongside Bora, who’s essentially a living legend in that field, naturally led her to become more interested.

What more can I say?

With everything aligned, I decided to take Chae-rim to none other than the North Cafe.

But not just any ordinary North Cafe; this place was rumored to have excellent facilities with private rooms.

Maybe that was the reason, but the moment we stepped inside the cafe, Chae-rim’s round eyes widened with a soft “Wow” that slipped out from behind her mask.

Thanks to that, the tension I had been feeling about whether she’d like it here eased up.

“We… would like to rent a room.”

“Oh, yes. The private room costs 20,000 won per hour, is that alright?”

“Yes, please, for two hours.”

“Understood!”

After paying 40,000 won and receiving the key card, we opened the door to our locked room, and what appeared before us was nothing short of a cozy space that resembled a dream hideout anyone could have imagined.

And this sight was certainly enough to make Chae-rim, who has a soft spot for such places, express her admiration again.

“Wow!”

With glowing star stickers on the ceiling, it looked as though if she had a loft at home, it would be furnished like this.

Watching as Chae-rim slipped off her shoes and got lost in exploring the room made me chuckle.

‘I’m glad I brought her here.’

I had that thought, but—

“Dogun. Dogun.”

“Yes?”

“Does this mean we can just grab the books we want and read them?”

“Yes, exactly. That’s what this place is for.”

Ah, so cute.

I’ve heard that when someone starts to find their partner adorable in a relationship, it signals a dangerous stage, and it seems like I was already there, as laughter bubbled up between my lips.