This World is too Cruel to Men

“…Huh?”

Look at this.

She’s glaring at ‘me’?

Ah, so she thinks she did nothing wrong.

It wasn’t just my assumption.

Her glare was full of discontent, suggesting she genuinely believed that.

And with her cheeks puffed out like that, she looked incredibly… well, not ferocious, but rather comical and cute.

What was impressive, though, was her forehead.

Unlike someone who ended up with a gauze pad, hers was not only unscathed but gleaming, as if she’d applied some sort of skin-enhancing product.

All of that combined… made her look exactly like Jeom-soon-i.

You know, that ancient, primordial tsundere kid who throws tantrums because spring potatoes are delicious.

It made me want to flick her forehead.

‘But still…’

What’s she going to do by glaring at me?

I returned a somewhat mocking glance, and like magic, she seemed to catch the meaning behind it.

“Eek…!”

With a sound of utter frustration, Jeom-soon-i’s grip tightened on her dad’s pants, and she started trembling.

“Now, now, Yun-Seo. That’s not nice. Yun-Seo, you made your friend get hurt, so you need to apologize and say you’re sorry.”

The adults, clearly not expecting such a power struggle between kindergarteners, simply told Yun-Seo to apologize, oblivious to her reaction.

So, our little Jeom-soon-i’s name is Yun-Seo, huh?

Is it just me, or does her name give off the vibe that she’ll stay small forever?

While I was lost in such trivial thoughts, Yun-Seo, seemingly unable to contain the surge of injustice welling up inside her, finally opened her tightly pursed lips and let out something akin to a roar.

The pointing with her tiny fingers was just a bonus.

“He bumped into me first!”

Oh, is that what happened?

No wonder she seemed so excessively indignant.

It wasn’t just a kid’s typical petulance; she was genuinely upset.

Well, if that’s the case, I can understand why.

She’s being forced to apologize even though she did nothing wrong, while I’m the one who got hurt.

That’s why her pronunciation was all garbled, right?

Anyway… I don’t remember clearly, but if that’s what happened, there’s nothing I can do.

I have to be the adult here and apologize first.

She looked and acted so comical and cute that I wanted to tease her more, but seeing the tears welling up in her eyes, I knew it was time to stop before things escalated.

My head was already a mess with the sudden resurgence of memories from my past life. I didn’t want to add a crying child to the mix.

So, I immediately bowed my head towards Yun-Seo, who was hiding behind her dad’s leg.

“Sorry, I should have been more careful.”

But why did she look even more upset and angry after I apologized?

“Hmph…”

She even glared at me and huffed.

‘My, my…’

What a fiery little friend.

Anyway, the apology ultimately fell to the adults.

“I’m so sorry. Because of our Yun-Seo…”

“Oh, no, it’s okay. Kids will be kids.”

“Still… if by any chance your child experiences any issues later…”

With that, Yun-Seo’s mother pulled out a business card from her pocket.

It had gold foil around the edges and looked quite expensive.

“Please give me a call here. I’ll do my best to help.”

“Yes, thank you for your concern.”

I guess everyone was being extra cautious since the injury was on my head, and I’d even lost consciousness.

‘It’s strange, though…’

We bumped into each other, but why did only my forehead get hurt?

Does she have some kind of talent for that?

‘There are cases of Awakenings at a young age…’

Could Yun-Seo’s talent be something like… “Rock Head”?

The thought crossed my mind, but I knew it was impossible.

If her incredible hardness was truly due to a talent, it would be closer to “Hardening” than “Rock Head.”

Meaning, she could harden other parts of her body, too.

How do I know this?

Because there’s a Hero currently active on the front lines, fighting Villains and monsters, with that very talent.

And the reason why I, a mere seven-year-old, know this is… well, it’s obvious, isn’t it?

Kids admire heroes.

And until yesterday, I was no different.

I didn’t just admire them.

Like any kid who loves dinosaurs, I knew the names and talents of all the active Heroes.

That’s why I could recall it so easily, even amidst the confusion in my head.

‘That Hero’s name was…’

Iron Lady, or something like that.

Anyway, if that little Yun-Seo had that kind of talent… her future would be set.

‘I’m jealous…’

Unlike me, whose future holds only two options: trophy wife or corporate slave. A deadly dilemma.

“Sigh…”

I couldn’t help but sigh as the familiar sense of despair washed over me.

“Why the sigh, my son? Are you very hungry?”

Mom, who had stepped out of the room to see Yun-Seo’s family off, returned at that very moment.

I was startled, but I quickly feigned ignorance and shook my head.

Mom smiled warmly at me and started setting out the contents of the paper bag she’d brought in. Soon, I was enjoying my meal.

Perhaps it was because I’d been racking my brains earlier, but the beef porridge tasted especially delicious.

“You said you weren’t hungry, but you must have been. Eat slowly. You’ll get indigestion.”

My tiny stomach filled up quickly, though.

“All done? Let’s wipe your mouth.”

“I, I can…”

“Hmm?”

“I, I’ll do it.”

Mom looked at me with wide, surprised eyes, but then she smiled warmly and handed me a tissue.

“Hmm… what’s gotten into my son? He’s suddenly so grown-up. Earlier, you even apologized to your friend first…”

I tried to be careful, but it seemed I couldn’t fool a mother’s keen eye. She knows her child best.

“Well…”

My heart pounded in my chest. Mom narrowed her eyes and looked at me with a sly expression.

“I know! You liked that… Yun-Seo, was it? You liked her, didn’t you?”

“…”

“Well… she is cute. And she has such fair skin…”

It felt strange to say this, but I was relieved that Mom was so clueless.

“Then it’s a good thing I took her business card, right?”

“Uh, yeah…”

There was a brief moment of crisis, but I managed to return to normal life relatively unscathed.

The problem was that this “normal life” was that of a seven-year-old.

“Come on, get up and get ready for Kindergarten.”

Honestly… I was prepared for that much.

Regardless of what was inside this body, it was still seven years old, and I needed to adapt to a seven-year-old’s life.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Since I had become a seven-year-old, I needed to live like one.

So I tried my best to adapt, but…

‘…Wow, this is a bit much.’

The bright yellow outfit presented as my Kindergarten uniform was already testing my limits.

So… I have to wear this?

“Hmm? What are you doing without getting dressed, son?”

Of course, I have to wear it. I have to, but… does it have to be this?

“Ah! You want Mommy to dress you?”

No, not at all.

The mere thought of wearing it was already giving me goosebumps. If I had to be dressed in it… I might actually die of shame.

I instinctively stepped back, and—

“My… you were so mature yesterday… but you’re still a baby.”

Oblivious to my inner turmoil, Mom picked up the bright yellow outfit with a delighted expression and started walking towards me.

—Put it on… Accept your fate…

It wasn’t just my imagination. A slightly altered line from a game echoed in my ears.

And so…

…Fuck my life.

That’s what happened.

But that was just the beginning. The real challenge was yet to come.

I averted my eyes from the rising embarrassment within me and boarded the bus with a “Sunshine Kindergarten” sticker.

The place we arrived at was, surprisingly, a spawning pool disguised as a Kindergarten.

If elementary school kids are adrenaline-fueled Zerglings, running wild with boundless energy, these kids were on the stage right before that.

“It’s mine! Mine!”

“No, it’s not! I grabbed it first!”

Is this what they call a multiplex?

Astonishingly, countless movies of incompatible genres were being screened simultaneously within this small Kindergarten.

Blockbuster-level projectile battles over the ownership of blocks, a romantic drama with two boys vying for the affection of a single girl, and an art film showcasing future Picassos unleashing their inner geniuses onto the canvases of walls and floors.

‘Wow…’

And to think, all of this happened in less than a minute after the teacher left the room.

I couldn’t help but feel a newfound respect for Kindergarten teachers.

Anyway, it wasn’t exactly a conducive environment for contemplation.

I was holed up in a corner, avoiding the chaotic scene, when I noticed a shadow flicker above the closed door. Thinking our

savior had returned to quell the chaos, I watched the door with anticipation—

Creak—!

“Alright, everyone, listen up—!”

The teacher, whom I thought had gone to the restroom, reappeared with a small child in tow.

The only problem was that the child standing awkwardly beside the teacher had a very familiar face.

“We have a new friend joining our class. Yun-Seo, say hello to everyone.”

The pufferfish was back.

But she looked different from yesterday.

Yesterday, she was puffed up with indignation.

Today, she seemed… awkward and unsure of herself.

‘Is she shy?’

I was a bit stunned by the unexpected reunion.

The other kids, alerted to the new arrival, turned their attention to Yun-Seo.

The teacher’s gaze, filled with anticipation, added to the pressure.

Yun-Seo’s tightly closed lips pressed together even more, and her slightly chubby cheeks began to puff out.

“Ahaha… I, I think Yun-Seo is a little shy. Her name is Oh Yun-Seo. Everyone, let’s give her a round of applause!”

The teacher, realizing her misstep, tried to salvage the situation, but Yun-Seo’s cheeks remained inflated.

As awkward applause filled the room, the pufferfish—Yun-Seo—clutched the straps of her backpack and scurried away from the teacher’s side.

‘But why…’

Is she coming this way?

Is she planning to get revenge for yesterday while the adults aren’t looking?

The gauze was off, but my forehead was still healing. Another headbutt might cause serious damage.

I instinctively shielded my forehead with my hand, and Yun-Seo, giving me a strange look, settled down a short distance away.

She then took off her backpack, hugged it tightly, and adopted a defensive posture.

It was a clear “Don’t talk to me” signal. But—

Glance.

Glance, glance.

It was not enough to hold back the interest of those who were like curiosity itself, on the verge of evolving into goblins.

A new kid had arrived.

She seemed a little grumpy, but she was undeniably pretty and cute.

‘Irresistible.’

Kids, in their innocence, can be even more discerning about appearances than adults.

There was no way they would leave such a tempting target alone.

As expected, curious gazes began to converge on the new face. Noticing this, Yun-Seo moved further into the corner.

Avoiding a typhoon is always better than confronting it head-on.

As I subtly shifted away from the eye of the storm, the cautious glances started to escalate.

If someone made a move now…

That would be the starting signal.

And just as I thought that, one of the kids, eyes brimming with curiosity, stood up—

“Um… hi!”

That was the trigger.

Like pedestrians at a crosswalk who start moving the moment someone else does, regardless of the signal, the other kids surged forward, as if driven by a competitive spirit.

“Yun-Seo…!”

“Yun-Seo…!”

“Yun…!”

A barrage of questions followed.

The funny thing was, Yun-Seo was no pushover.

Faced with such an onslaught, most kids would have blurted out something, even if just out of fluster.

But Yun-Seo just pressed her lips together even tighter. I couldn’t help but chuckle.

It was a classic battle between spear and shield.

The scene was so entertaining that time flew by, and soon it was time to go home.

And surprisingly, the victor of this hours-long standoff was—

“Alright…! Has everyone got their bags?”

“Yeees…!”

“Yes…”

—Yun-Seo, the defender.

Had everyone exhausted themselves with their questioning? The children’s responses to the teacher’s question were listless.

The teacher seemed to prefer this quietness, though. It made her job easier.

“Okay, then follow your friends and get on the bus one by one.”

“Yeees…”

Just like in the morning, we boarded the bus to go home—

“Next… Dokgun!”

“Yes.”

“And… it says Yun-Seo gets off here too? Yun-Seo?”

“…Yes.”

It turned out Yun-Seo lived near my house.

‘Didn’t someone move in next door a few days ago…?’

I think they did… Wait.

No way.

Seriously?