This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 581

A vague yet intensely strong premonition.

Such a thought suddenly stirred in my mind.

Upon reflection, it was a hypothesis that I could have easily come up with, so why had I not even thought of something similar until now?

Now, I find myself in a situation where I can only wrap it in the phrase “it’s about time.” After all, the Auntie was always busy.

When Dogun was younger, she still spent time in Korea, but after he reached a certain age, that is, after he entered middle school, she was constantly traveling abroad.

Even when she was in Korea, she would often communicate via video calls with foreigners whose names I didn’t even know.

Back then, I was blissfully ignorant and could only admire her impressive demeanor.

Looking back now, I wonder if all her actions were aimed towards this very moment.

Setting aside everything else, it was such a peculiarly fortuitous situation.

Just being seated here was already quite the twist.

On top of that… I was currently wearing a necklace made of an unknown jewel that Auntie sent as a graduation gift for Dogun.

Of course, the other party probably hadn’t caught on to that yet.

Honestly, given the constraints of my outfit— a rigid suit meant to give off a security guard vibe— the necklace was hidden beneath a blouse.

But considering the other person’s status, they might have seen through such trivial fabric barriers… If that were the case, wouldn’t they have brought it up much earlier?

Instead of wasting chances with nonsensical questions about whether I had a boyfriend.

And perhaps it was thanks to that thought.

In contrast to the intense deliberation I had previously endured over just one question, I could now finalize the next question with minimal worry.

Thus, all that was left was to wait for my turn to come back around.

I quietly began to prepare to respond to the other party’s question.

Since we agreed to take turns asking questions, I had to answer whatever they asked to get my turn back again.

To hasten the arrival of that moment, I needed to respond to their question as swiftly as possible.

“So…”

What were they going to ask this time?

I tried to make a guess, but no matter how hard I thought, I couldn’t predict it; I was merely waiting for them to open their mouth.

“I believe you mentioned you have a boyfriend earlier?”

Finally, the other party spoke.

“Do you love him? Would you risk your life for him?”

Once again, out spilled a question I hadn’t anticipated at all.

At that moment, I felt my tongue freeze, but for a reason slightly different from what you’d think.

Love for Dogun, huh?

If it were anyone else asking instead of the person in front of me, I would have answered without a moment’s hesitation.

“Of course.”

Why wouldn’t I?

After all, it was a feeling I had cherished for over ten years.

If I lacked that kind of confidence, I wouldn’t have even made it this far.

So, deep down, I wanted to respond with a certain voice of conviction, but… hesitation gripped me.

And it had to be that way.

It wasn’t because I was suddenly questioning my relationship with Dogun or anything like that.

Rather, it was because of the person I was currently engaged in conversation— no, in a game with.

To be precise, it was the uncertainty regarding their intent behind such a question that made me reluctant to answer.

It would be fortunate if my answer to their question didn’t lead to anything significant, but what if it turned out otherwise? What if they were probing me with specific motives behind these kinds of questions?

Would it be okay to answer truthfully?

Given that it was about Dogun, I naturally had to tread carefully.

As a result, my internal struggle began to stretch in real time.

“Hmmm… it seems like you’re taking a while to think?”

That comment echoed in my ears at that moment.

As I lifted my slightly bowed head, I caught their expression—one that seemed to imply they understood everything.

In that instant, I sensed that no matter how cleverly I crafted a suitable response, it wouldn’t get past them.

And if I resorted to dodging the question… then this ridiculous game would end right there.

After all, hadn’t they said themselves just moments ago that they wouldn’t be lenient after the first round?

‘…Not yet.’

I still had many questions I wanted—no, needed to ask.

Especially the one that just popped into my mind; I absolutely had to bring it up.

Only by doing so could I turn what was merely a hypothesis into concrete certainty.

To achieve that, I needed to find a way to prolong this game.

“What if I answered with ‘yes’?”

Engaging directly with them, I posed something that felt neither like an answer nor quite a question.

To be honest, that was about the best I could manage.

At least, that’s how it seemed in this situation.

Perhaps the other party’s thoughts after receiving such a vague response would be curious, but surely they wouldn’t comment on my integrity…?

As I quietly waited for them to react, the faintest smile appeared on their face, as they seemed to ponder over what I’d just said.

“Honestly, that answer feels a bit vague…”

“…”

“Perhaps I should be satisfied with this. I’ve heard that many Korean women are shy about expressing affection directly…”

I will give you a pass this time.

That’s what the other party seemed to imply.

Thus, I felt a mix of relief and newfound curiosity.

They had just spoken as if they knew someone who had told them about Korean customs.

Who could that possibly be who fed them such odd knowledge…?

Could it be…?

Was this all part of Auntie’s doing?

I thought it was absurd to think she had engaged in something like that, but dismissing it outright left me questioning Auntie’s potential promises with that woman.

In any case, I had made it through this rather nerve-wracking moment unscathed.

“Well… is it my turn now?”

Now it was time to return the favor with a question.

When I asked for confirmation, the other party nodded willingly, as if inviting me to ask anything I wanted.

Thanks to that, a bit of determination surged through me.

Earlier, I had succeeded in making them flustered for just a fleeting moment, but that was merely a brief window.

I truly wanted to witness their serene countenance change to one of surprise.

And if my line of thought was correct, that could only come from… this moment.

Suppressing the urge to gawk and maintaining a quiet demeanor, I prepared to reach behind my neck.

Click—

The sound of things coming undone echoed throughout the waiting room right after that.

A sound that, under normal circumstances, wouldn’t even register.

Yet, at this moment, it felt amplified, certainly due to the anticipation in the air.

And the other party seemed affected by that sound as well.

Nervousness seemed to grip me as we approached the much-anticipated moment of questioning, just as I sensed their curiosity sparked along with my tension.

I felt the air thicken as curiosity sparked in their gaze.

Thus, the anticipation in what reaction they would show was all the more heightened.

Clink—

Finally, as the necklace I had mentioned earlier appeared atop the table, and I noticed the slight widening of their eyes…

“Could it be…?”

I seized that moment, not wanting to miss that chance.

“Do you know exactly what this item is used for?”