This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 548

I didn’t think the situation would turn out like this, but it just suddenly crossed my mind that my relationship with Yoonseo has always been in safe (?) places.

Of course, the hospital room I was in until recently had a comparatively lesser feeling of danger.

After all, there was always the possibility of a doctor or nurse barging in at any moment, so that feeling was relatively reduced, but still, it was my private space, wasn’t it?

And all the places I had been with Yoonseo until now had been like that too.

Places like my room and such, right?

Since I had always been in such places, suddenly changing the stage to a public place like the Association building made my heart already thumping wildly with excitement.

Maybe that’s why I unconsciously began to feel anxious.

‘No…’

It’s oddly not visible right now.

Normally, things like hair dryers that I wouldn’t even consciously notice were always in sight.

If my memory serves me right, I think there were two in the training ground as well, so why can’t I see them today?

Did someone perhaps clean them up while I wasn’t looking?

I searched every corner just in case, but still, it was the same—they were nowhere to be found.

It seems someone really did clean them up.

In that case, I had no choice.

I’d have to find an empty rest area and just use whatever was there.

And it wasn’t too hard to locate an empty rest area.

Perhaps it’s a tradition passed down among heroes, but heroes seem particularly uninterested in places like rest areas.

Thus, there weren’t many people utilizing it.

It was truly only used when circumstances were dire.

‘Honestly, isn’t this pretty great…?’

Of course, compared to places created with a lot of capital, it did feel relatively lacking.

However, those kinds of places required money to use, right?

In comparison, this one could be used for free by any hero.

Yet, choosing to pay to enter another place is odd.

Honestly, I think I’d prefer the free option.

‘Is it because there isn’t anyone serving me here?’

Well, I’ve heard that in those kinds of places, stunning beauties wait on you like movie stars.

Compared to places where those kinds of people serve you, the attractiveness of a space where you have to do everything by yourself is bound to be lesser.

And money? Well, isn’t worrying about heroes’ wallets considered one of the most meaningless worries in the world?

So, for heroes, the costs associated with using such places wouldn’t even be a concern.

While I continued such trivial thoughts, I quickly dried my hair with the dryer.

In the process, I also dried my soaked top, and the musty smell from being wet disappeared completely.

With that, I finished preparing for action and headed straight to where Yoonseo was waiting.

Finding that wasn’t hard either.

After all, I could check the rental status of the rest areas through an app made for Association officials on my mobile phone, and it showed that all other places were empty except for one that was currently rented.

So, I stood in front of the door leading to that place and gently knocked, and sure enough, the voice I heard from beyond the door was none other than Yoonseo’s.

“Ahem, c-come in.”

I thought I had given enough time, but perhaps she still hadn’t settled her surprise.

Or maybe the nervousness of doing that “thing” in such an unfamiliar place got to her.

Yoonseo’s voice, responding to my knock, trembled slightly.

Thanks to that, I started to feel tense too.

‘I thought I had calmed myself down…’

I never expected it would revive like this.

Was that why my hand, outstretched to grab the doorknob, trembled uncontrollably?

My fingertips shook a little, like some withdrawal symptoms, but… I didn’t let that stop me from opening the door.

And as soon as I stepped into the rest area, I realized immediately why Yoonseo had sounded so tense.

As I carefully opened the door and stepped inside, the first thing that caught my eye was something that should have taken the form of a sofa.

Earlier, jokingly suggesting she prepare something in advance if she was bored waiting, was she working on that while waiting for me?

What was originally supposed to be a sofa had been altered by someone’s touch into the shape of a bed.

Where Yoonseo was sitting was right on top of that.

Of course, I couldn’t help but feel tense there.

I had only thoughts of one thing in my head, so how could I not be nervous?

However, I had no intentions of saying anything to Yoonseo about it.

After all, my mind was just as filled with that same thought.

Moreover… even though I had just entered the rest area, Yoonseo’s face was already fully flushed red, and she couldn’t even lift her eyes.

Clearly, she already felt adequately embarrassed.

So instead of adding another spoonful to this scenario, I quietly walked over and sat next to Yoonseo.

Perhaps because the place I sat down was technically a sofa bed rather than a true bed, it let out a creaking sound as soon as I sat down alongside Yoonseo.

Thanks to that, the already awkward atmosphere heightened even further.

A suffocating silence quietly weighed down on us.

And it seemed I wasn’t the only one who felt such tension.

Glancing sideways at Yoonseo, who was sitting a little distantly, I could see her hand, which had been resting on the sofa, was twitching in real-time.

Was she wanting to hold my hand?

Or maybe the atmosphere surrounding us was so awkward that she felt compelled to do something?

As if expressing the conflict and turmoil she felt in this moment, Yoonseo continued to fidget with her hands for a while before finally speaking.

“I-I didn’t say you could sit…”

The issue was that the first words she managed to utter after gathering the courage were exactly that.

“…Should I get up again then?”

If you’re going to act grumpy, just be grumpy all the way.

I could barely say that just as her lips puffed out in response.

Who could believe that this was the same Yoonseo who went around smashing villains left and right?

I, for one, find it hard to believe.

What was certain was… even her state of awkwardness appeared cute to me, like there was something over my eyes.

‘They say it’s a dangerous situation when your partner starts looking cute when you’re together…’

If you put it that way, I might as well be done for.

But what can be done?

It has already come to this.

With a silent chuckle, I moved my hand, which had been used to support myself on the sofa, closer.

As I closed the distance, I lightly tapped Yoonseo’s hand, and… perhaps startled by the sudden contact.

Her hand that touched my fingertips curled up instantly.

It was almost a wild animal-like reaction.

If only she could be like this all the time…

I thought to myself while I gently tapped Yoonseo’s hand, which had curled in like a fist, a few more times.

Then, perhaps getting used to my touch, I could see the tension leave Yoonseo’s hand slowly, like she was relaxing.

Seizing the moment, I slyly slipped my hand beneath hers.

Then, as if casting some mystical spell from a martial arts novel, I began to wiggle and hold onto Yoonseo’s hand firmly.

However, perhaps due to having been tense for so long, simply holding hands might not have been enough for Yoonseo.

At some point, Yoonseo’s fingers began to move, and as I relaxed my grip, she unexpectedly intertwined her fingers with mine.

Then—

“…Hehe.”

Finally, she smiled as if satisfied, looking like a big goof.

‘Ah, seriously.’

It’s making it hard to resist.

Carefully leaning to the side, I closed my lips over Yoonseo’s.

Perhaps startled by the sudden kiss, her eyes went wide for a moment, but soon after, Yoonseo gently closed her eyes.

As I leaned my body against Yoonseo’s, she fell back onto the sofa disguised as a bed.

Yoonseo’s brown hair spread messily over the black sofa.