This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 56

Looking at the ssam delivered to me near my mouth, I thought to myself.

Is this a trap or not?

“Hey.”

“…What?”

“Be honest. What did you put inside?”

“…”

“Chili… we didn’t buy it, and oh! You put in a ton of raw garlic, right?”

Honestly, I figured that would be the case.

It was inevitable since it was the first time Yoonseo acted this way.

Given that, I obviously considered that possibility first—

“Ah, come on! When someone prepares something for you, can’t you just say thank you and eat it?”

With a frustrated voice, the ssam that had reached near my mouth was forcibly shoved into my mouth.

Having been half-forced to taste it, I discovered that what Yoonseo fed me was surprisingly normal.

‘What the…?’

What sudden wind blew in?

Thanks to that thought, I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed, wondering if this was what a father felt upon receiving his daughter’s first ssam.

“And are you an idiot? You should eat too, instead of just grilling the meat.”

“No, I’m picking at it while grilling, you know?”

“Picking at it my butt… here.”

“Can’t I dip it in ssamjang instead of oil sauce?”

“…Ugh.”

Anyway, I must have been in the middle of accepting Yoonseo’s intermittent care.

“Ah, I feel like a beverage… is there nothing?”

Though the meat was good, after eating for a while, Jinho seemed to crave something refreshing to cleanse his palate.

“Beverage? You said we should save money, so we didn’t buy any.”

“Ah, right, you said that…”

“If you really want some, why not go to that convenience store near the campsite?”

“That’s a bit…”

Well, walking for 20 minutes at this hour just for a beverage, even if he craved it, might be pushing it too far.

“Is there no vending machine or something?”

While Jinho kept singing the beverage song—

“Are you really that thirsty for a beverage?”

Sangah suddenly chimed in.

Could it be that she, whom Jinho liked, was jumping in at this timing?

A slightly flustered Jinho flinched as Sangah continued.

“I do have something to drink… do you want to try that?”

‘Would you like to drink?’ is not what she said, instead it was ‘Would you like to try it?’

That wording felt a bit odd.

Could it be that the drink she meant was something strange?

To cut to the chase—

“Wait a minute… I put it in the refrigerator, so I’ll bring it now…”

I was spot on with my guess.

That was because what Sangah brought out from the pension was a thermos, not a regular beverage bottle.

Of all things, a thermos at this timing.

The moment I saw it, I instinctively sensed.

So… there’s a high probability that what’s inside that thermos is some adult beverage.

*

“Wait a minute… I put it in the refrigerator, so I’ll bring it now…”

The moment those words echoed in my ears, my heart started racing rapidly.

‘Finally… it’s starting.’

That guy’s plan B or whatever it is.

Would it really succeed?

And would I be able to hear Dogun’s true feelings?

My heart raced not merely because of the anxiety and anticipation those thoughts provided, but… frankly, more because of the situation.

After all… isn’t it alcohol?

Thinking of sneaking such a thing while the adults are away made me feel like I was doing something bad, stirring my heart again.

Interestingly, what caught my attention was Dogun’s reaction.

Up until Sangah entered the pension, he seemed indifferent, but the moment he confirmed that Sangah brought out a thermos, his expression changed as if he sensed that what was inside was not regular beverage but alcohol.

‘Ah…’

Logically, the chances of that are low, but still.

“What’s that? Was it yours? I thought it was just some thermos.”

“So, are you going to drink it?”

“No… shouldn’t you tell me what’s in it first before asking that?”

“Oh, this? It’s good. Good and expensive.”

“Even an expensive drink is still just a drink…”

“So, are you going to drink it or not?”

“Is it… not something strange?”

“Strange? What do you mean?”

“Like… some brine fish sauce or something… you know, things that shouldn’t be drunk normally.”

“Come on, do you think I’d feed you guys something like that?”

“Then… can I try just one sip?”

At least, that part aligned with Sangah’s thinking.

The problem lay ahead…

Feeling the tension creeping up my body, I watched as Sangah poured whatever was in the thermos for Jinho.

How long has it been?

Suddenly, the sound of something being poured followed by a slightly startled voice came from them.

“Huh? Wait a second, this is… alcohol?”

“You got it right away? Guess you had a sip before?”

“No, the smell… okay, that’s settled, but how…”

“How did I get it? Obviously, I just snuck one from the liquor cabinet among mom’s display.”

So that’s how she acquired it.

“Is… that okay?”

“Huh? What’s wrong? Ah… it’s fine. I filled it up with something that looks exactly like this.”

“But what if someone opens it…?”

“They aren’t going to open it. My mom uses expensive alcohol for display, not for drinking.”

“Still…”

“Really, it’s fine. And if we don’t drink it like this, it’s a shame for the poor thing.”

Judging by her expression, it seemed she was intrigued by what kind of taste alcohol had that adults keep drinking, but the fact she brought it in her hand made her more worried than curious.

And their ongoing conversation managed to grab the attention of the others.

“Is it really alcohol?”

“Yeah, mom said it’s really expensive.”

“Really? Huh… maybe that’s why it smells so good. It has floral and fruity aromas…”

“Right?”

“Can I have just a sip too?”

“Of course, I brought it to share with everyone.”

“So, let me have just a bit…”

Maybe it was because everyone was feeling hyper-curious.

The word alcohol was like magic.

In an instant, it captivated everyone else as well.

And just like that, a vibe was formed where everyone felt like having a taste—

‘Why… is Dogun being quiet?’

Somehow, it felt like Dogun was uninterested in all of this.

While everyone was glued to the bottle Sangah was holding, only Dogun appeared slightly disinterested.

At the same time, it felt like he was pondering something.

That expression took over Dogun’s face.

And I felt a slight anxiety.

At this rate, my plan to get him drunk to hear his true feelings was about to go awry before it even started.

‘Maybe…’

Is it because I’m keeping quiet and not saying anything?

Feeling that could be the case, I asked—

“Yoonseo, how about you?”

“Then… I’ll have just a little…”

As soon as Sangah’s question shot out, she gently extended the paper cup she was holding toward her.

Seeing the vibe of everyone having at least a taste, it felt like it was a bit odd for him to remain left out.

After a moment of hesitation, Dogun finally picked up his own paper cup and faced Sangah.

Once Dogun’s cup was filled, Sangah seemed to take it a step further.

Perhaps she thought she had to seal the deal after seeing Dogun’s lackadaisical reaction.

“Since we’re at it, should we toast?”

“That sounds good!”

“Count me in.”

Even though no one had taken a sip yet, the others, intoxicated by the atmosphere, backed Sangah’s suggestion.

What could we do given the situation?

We had to drink it.

“Then everyone… cheers!”

After confirming that Dogun clinked cups with the others, I saw him carefully gulp down the amber-hued, translucent liquid from his cup.

The impression of the alcohol I tasted for the first time was ‘bitter’ and ‘hot’.

As expected from Sangah’s description of the expensive alcohol cherished by her mom, the moment it hit my mouth, floral or fruity notes burst forth, but they were overshadowed by a bitter flavor that numbed my tongue.

So I quickly swallowed it down… and the sensation racing down my throat was notably different from when I swallowed something hot.

“Whoa…”

The sensation felt like a sudden warmth spreading out.

The intensity felt strong enough that I thought I could maybe breathe fire if I wanted to.

“Gah…”

For me, that was the impression.

It seemed Dogun felt similarly as he grimaced right after downing it.

But…

Would one sip be enough?

It didn’t feel like one sip was going to cut it…

While Yoonseo pondered how to get him more, Dogun was slightly lost in thought enjoying the taste of a liquor he hadn’t experienced in decades.

‘This…’

It’s pretty strong… maybe about 40 degrees?

That level was enough to get even the lightweights drunk after just a few sips.

That’s also why I discreetly placed the paper cup I was holding on the table.

Looking at it, everyone seemed ready to drain what was in the thermos, and it felt like I might be the only one capable of managing the impending chaotic scene.

That was the plan anyway, but it looked like my actions came off as a betrayal to the others.

Even though I said I was good, they forced my cup to be filled, leading to predictable events after that.

What I expected to be the chaotic scene unfolded before my eyes.

“Hehehe…”

“Yawn…”

From the one laughing for no reason to the one nodding off as if he could collapse at any moment.

Compared to these two, the girls were relatively calm.


They didn’t seem too affected yet; rather they seemed to just be more giggly than anything else.

What that meant was…

‘This means I just have to deal with these two.’

Now that we had finished eating, I decided to let them sleep right there.

As for the girls, they said they’d take care of bringing them to their respective rooms, so I trusted them and focused on bringing the two boys to their rooms.

‘…Huh?’

Returning to the dinner table after placing the two weighty boys in their room, I noticed someone who hadn’t returned to the room yet.

She was supposed to take responsibility for bringing everyone back, but perhaps she had moved one and fell asleep from exhaustion afterward.

Anyway, thinking I couldn’t leave her like this in the cold, I cautiously approached Yoonseo, who was curled up on the folding chair.

“Hey, are you sleeping?”

I asked confirmingly as I got closer.

“…Huh? Is that Dogun…?”

At my words, Yoonseo lifted her head from her knees, and I realized.

She had clearly, properly gotten drunk.