This World is too Cruel to Men

Was the first hangover I’d ever experienced in my life ‘that’ intense?

Everyone, even Yun-Seo, the resident queen of snark, had become unusually quiet.

From my perspective, it was incredibly comfortable and pleasant.

‘Still, it’s strange…’

Wasn’t the defining characteristic of expensive alcohol supposed to be a clean finish, free of hangovers?

But the hangover they were experiencing was so strong that it had them groaning all day.

Just what kind of alcohol was that?

Anyway… the camping trip, which had started out with such ambition, ended somewhat anticlimactically with most of the participants suffering from hangovers.

And just like that, even the last event before high school entrance, the camping trip, was over.

In the blink of an eye, March 2nd arrived.

High school entrance day.

Perhaps because this was my second time graduating middle school and entering high school, following my previous life, I didn’t feel anything special.

Just… annoyed at having to wake up early in the morning?

That was the extent of my thoughts while getting ready.

‘Sigh…’

It would have been so nice if I had simply gotten into my first-choice school.

Then I could have slept at least ten more minutes.

‘No, wait…’

Ten minutes?

I could have lazed around in bed for at least twenty minutes.

Though it might seem trivial, I knew all too well how precious ten or twenty minutes in the morning could be.

So, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret… but what could I do?

I didn’t get in.

So, even if I was a little annoyed, I had to accept it.

‘By the way…’

I was almost ready for school, but I wasn’t sure how the person who had been texting me since last night, insisting we go together, was doing with their preparations.

With only about a minute left before our agreed meeting time in front of her house, and my phone remaining stubbornly silent, I felt a little uneasy… but I should at least check, right?

It would be more troublesome later if I just left without checking.

That’s why, as soon as I slung my bag over my shoulder—feeling unusually light today, containing only pens and a new notebook—I headed next door.

“Dokgun, is that you?”

“Hello, Mr. Lee.”

“Yes, you’re here for Yun-Seo, right?”

This wasn’t the first time this had happened during middle school, so Mr. Lee seemed completely used to it by now.

He naturally told me to go up to the second floor, and I nodded before heading upstairs.

The first thing that reached my ears was the roar of a hairdryer at full power.

‘So, she’s awake.’

Judging by the loudness of the hairdryer, she wasn’t quite ready yet.

Wondering if there was anything I could help with, I cautiously approached the source of the noise. I knocked gently on the door, and—

“Just wait a minute…!”

Came the immediate reply.

“How much longer?”

She must have thought it was her dad knocking, so she answered like that.

She probably didn’t expect it to be me standing on the other side of the door.

Instead of a proper answer, only the hollow sound of the hairdryer filled the air.

After a while…

“…Te…ten… no, five minutes?”

“Really? You think you can make it in five?”

I doubted it…

“Or… should I help you?”

I made the offer because I genuinely thought I could help, but her reaction was… unexpected.

“…Wh-what?!”

Why was she so flustered?

Anyone would think this was the first time I’d offered.

Or had her memory of me helping her all this time suddenly vanished with the start of high school?

“…Whatever.”

Thankfully, it seemed her memory was intact.

Anyway, since I had her permission, I explained myself once more before opening the door and stepping into the utility room where Yun-Seo was.

Yun-Seo, with her hair looking even more unruly than usual, greeted me.

‘Good grief…’

Of course it would take forever if she was struggling to do it herself.

Was she a little embarrassed about being late on the first day of high school?

Yun-Seo, dressed in a blouse and skirt completely different from her middle school style, had a slightly red face compared to usual.

“What? You haven’t even finished getting dressed yet? When are we going to leave?”

“I-I just need to put on my jacket!”

“What, you don’t have to wear a vest?”

“…No, it’s optional.”

So this was why Whispering Willow High School was considered prestigious.

Compared to a certain school that explicitly stated in bold letters in the admission notice that new students attending the entrance ceremony must wear the full winter uniform, including a tie, this was remarkably lenient.

“I’m a little envious of that. Anyway, hand me the brush and the hairdryer.”

“…O-Okay.”

Taking the items she handed me, I aimed the hairdryer at the tangled mess of her hair.

Once the slightly damp hair was reasonably dry, I used the brush in my other hand to gently comb through it.

The slightly wavy hair transformed into a relatively neat style.

‘There we go…’

This is the way.

I remember this being quite a chore at first.

But after repeating this routine consistently for three years of middle school, I had reached a point where I almost enjoyed it.

“So, what do you think of today’s styling, my dear customer?”

“…Hmph, it’s passable.”

“Of course it is. Now, hurry up and get dressed so we can leave. I’m starting to get anxious.”

We’d spent ten years together.

Did she think I wouldn’t anticipate this?

That’s why, even though we still had some time, it was better to be relaxed than to rush.

I said that and turned to leave the utility room, urging her to finish dressing, but—

“W-Wait a second.”

“Huh? Why?”

“My tie. Isn’t it crooked?”

“…Is it?”

Was it?

Now that she mentioned it, it seemed like it might be… or maybe not…

“I don’t know…”

“No… the shape and the direction… it’s a little… weird, isn’t it?”

And then came the words that I couldn’t tell were a provocation or something else.

“Sigh… Are you a kid? Can’t even tie your tie properly?”

“Well, I’ve never done it before!”

I thought I did a decent job after watching a video tutorial, but was it really that bad?

Even if it looked okay to me, it could look different to others.

I should have worn ties more often in my previous life.

Except for job interviews and occasional special events, I had no connection to ties, so I honestly wasn’t confident in this area.

Even putting that aside, I didn’t think she was in any position to criticize me…

“Seriously… Come here. I’ll fix it for you.”

“Do you even know how to tie a tie?”

“What are you talking about? I’m the one who ties our mom’s tie every morning before she goes to work.”

“…Really?”

If that was true, I couldn’t see any reason not to let her do it.

But since it was Yun-Seo, I couldn’t bring myself to trust her easily.

“If you understand, then… lower your head, will you?”

“Why? Are your arms too short, little one?”

“They’re not! It’s uncomfortable, that’s why!”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say.”

Maybe… just once… I could let her do it?

***

As Dokgun lowered his head with that thought, Yun-Seo tried to hide her excitement.

She had been practicing tying a tie for the past few days, even waking up early in the morning, just for this day.

Of course, her practice partner was none other than her mother.

‘I can…’

Do this, right?

Even though she had practiced, she couldn’t help but feel nervous now that it was the real deal.

Dokgun’s tie, for a beginner, was tied rather well, which made her even more nervous.

Nevertheless, the reason she pointed out the crookedness wasn’t solely to show off her secretly honed skills.

That was part of it, but… it was more because she felt a pang in her chest.

The conversation she just had with Dokgun had caused it.

Talking like that… made the reality of them going to different schools acutely clear.

That’s why… she didn’t want to let this moment slip away meaninglessly.

Especially since it was the first day.

“What are you doing? I’m going to be late!”

But he was urging her on, oblivious to how she felt… She wanted to yank the tie in her hand or flick his exposed crown.

‘Aren’t you…’

Even a little sad?

They would be together on the bus, but once they got off, they wouldn’t be able to see each other until school ended.

“Just… wait a second! It’s hard to undo because you tied it so weirdly…”

“Oh, sorry about that.”

“If you’re sorry… just stay still and don’t move unnecessarily.”

“Unlike someone, ‘I’m’ tall, so my back hurts from bending down like this, you know?”

“You…!”

***

As Dokgun and Yun-Seo bickered and prepared for their first day of high school, someone had already finished their preparations—

“President? Is there anything else to prepare?”

“Oh, no. I think we’re all set, so everyone rest until the entrance ceremony begins. You won’t be able to rest once it starts.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“And make sure to get some snacks for everyone who worked hard this morning.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

It was Seol-hwa, the student council president of Yeon-Gang High, the school Dokgun would be attending.

Left alone in the auditorium where the entrance ceremony would be held, after the student council members who had helped with the preparations also left to rest, she looked around the hall that would soon be filled with new students and murmured to herself.

‘Finally…’

Today’s the day.

The boy she was likely to meet soon would have no idea how long she had waited for this day.

That’s why… because she had waited so eagerly…

‘I absolutely…’

Will not fail.

No matter what happens.

No matter the cost.

I will never… let him go.