This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 629

A place where there are few people or houses nearby, but there exists some structure that could be drawn like a wall.

The moment I received such conditions from Bora, it was almost natural for my feet to gravitate towards the outskirts of the city.

After all, I was in Seoul, and given the nature of this city, it was obvious that anywhere you go, there would be a crowd.

Especially in the bustling central areas, where various facilities are clustered together; that’s why I thought it would be far more efficient and likely to find such a place early on by heading toward the outskirts rather than searching in the center.

It’s truly strange.

After wandering around for a long time, I finally found a place that met the conditions, but why did it feel so familiar?

I’m not talking about anything else; it was the structure and appearance of the building that gave me this feeling.

Should I say it felt strangely familiar to the point of being unsettling?

As a result, I couldn’t help but wonder.

Why do I feel this way?

When had I been here before…?

If that’s the case, it was likely a fun visit, but looking around, the scenery surrounding the building was not recognizable at all.

So while I tilted my head in confusion, I soon realized why this building felt familiar.

“Ha…”

How could such a coincidence exist?

The place I painstakingly found that fits the conditions turned out to be the same place where I was kidnapped by a girl disguised as another.

It resembled an abandoned building back then, but the decay had progressed even more in just a few months, causing me to take longer to recognize it. Yet, the more I looked, the more certain I became.

As a result, I couldn’t help but let out a wry smile.

Out of so many places, of all the options, it had to be this one.

Is this why people talk about fate and destiny?

I instinctively gritted my teeth.

It couldn’t be helped.

The building that had reappeared before me, crossing months of time, seemed to whisper into my ear.

As if mocking me with a voice that said this was the way it was meant to be.

The issue was that it was awkward to search for another place now.

After all, time felt precious, and every second counted, especially in this situation; would I really abandon a place that matched the conditions and head somewhere else?

That was not an option.

With that thought, I bit my lip and slowly began to walk around the building.

At first glance, it was unmistakably an abandoned building teetering on the brink of demolition, but you never know, right?

It wouldn’t hurt to double-check.

So, I walked around the building and saw a banner announcing its impending demolition and a chilling warning scribbled in bright red paint saying ‘Do Not Enter.’

The chaotic graffiti beneath the warning was messy, and the banner that should have been pure white looked quite filthy, suggesting that this place had indeed been neglected.

I wondered if perhaps something had happened around here.

As I quickly scanned the desolate surroundings, I removed some yellow tape haphazardly stuck around and entered the building.

The view inside the building was definitively that of a place left abandoned before demolition.

From the entrance, cigarette butts littered everywhere, and the walls were filled with chaotic graffiti, it truly embodied the essence of a derelict house.

Every time I took a step, a crunching sound similar to stepping on sand echoed beneath my shoes, which likely indicated the presence of small shards of glass scattered around.

With each careful step, I had no choice but to proceed with caution, but I still needed to take a look inside.

While my goal was to ensure Bora’s safety as she would be coming here, I felt that even if she arrived, there wouldn’t be much she could do in this state.

‘I wished for clean walls without graffiti…’

So, while searching for a clean wall, I meandered through the building, and after climbing nearly a hundred stairs, I finally found what I was looking for.

Unlike the lower floors, which had not a single intact wall and seemed to be used as a hideout for troublemakers instead of homeless people, the upper floors were relatively intact, perhaps because the elevator wasn’t working.

However, one thing that bothered me was that as I explored the interior, it had grown significantly dim outside.

As a result, the already morgue-like atmosphere of the building intensified.

To think I would need to call Bora here…

‘…There’s no one inside but me, so nothing should happen, right?’

I felt a hint of worry, but my fingers scrolled through my contacts on my mobile phone, searching for Bora’s number.

I sent her the address via text.

I would’ve preferred to explain it in person, but since I too wasn’t very familiar with this area, things wouldn’t be much different for me.

After texting that I had found a location that fulfilled the conditions and then sending the address, it wasn’t long before my phone buzzed.

When I checked to see the arriving message, it confirmed that she would try to join as quickly as possible.

And then, my waiting began.

However, the waiting was literally driving me insane.

Considering Bora had ridden her motorcycle from her studio, it was clear that it would take her at least 30 minutes to reach here.

My lips felt parched.

As I was feeling each passing second intensely…

A taxi with a sign reading ‘Individual’ stopped across the street.

I instinctively stood up from my crouching position as the taxi door opened, revealing a familiar face peeking out.

Just as I spotted Bora from afar, it seemed she had already seen me.

After giving a slight bow to the taxi, she glanced around and then charged towards me.

“…Is this the place?”

As she arrived in front of me, she looked up at the building behind me and spoke.

“Yeah.”

“With so few people around, it’s not like anyone will worry about being caught up in something.”

In that brief moment, the dilapidated building that had been swallowed by an even deeper darkness didn’t seem to frighten her.

Bora nodded, glancing up at the building before stepping boldly toward the entrance.

“Wait a minute!”

Seeing her walk forward with such uncanny confidence made me anxious and compelled me to stop her.

“…Why?”

“Just in case, let’s turn on a flashlight.”

Earlier, when I was exploring inside the building, it wasn’t that dark, so I didn’t need anything extra, but now the situation was dire.

With time, one would eventually adjust, but before that adjustment could happen, tripping over something and getting hurt would be a real concern.

So, with my phone set to flashlight mode, I took charge as a guide, and Bora naturally positioned herself behind me.

It was a rare occurrence, but the darkness inside might have made her cautious about potentially losing track of me.

Bora discreetly reached out and firmly grasped the hem of my clothes.

“I’ll try to give you as much warning as I can, but just in case, be careful.”

“Okay.”

“What about the tools for drawing?”

“Oh, that would be here…”

It was a shopping bag; she must have brought all the tools she would need for drawing from her studio.

The weight of the shopping bag handed to me by Bora was surprisingly heavy.

It seemed to reflect her determination for the current situation, making my hand and heart feel equally heavy.

With the shopping bag in hand, I began walking towards the place I had scouted earlier…