This World is too Cruel to Men

Honestly, what are the odds that a kid I happened to meet would turn out to be in the same kindergarten class as me, and, on top of that, have just moved in next door a few days ago?

Common sense would dictate that the odds are incredibly slim.

Perhaps that’s why…

‘This is like something out of a novel.’

They say reality is stranger than fiction, and this is a perfect example.

So, does this mean I’m going to be entangled with this little one, just like in a cliché story?

And eventually, we’ll become what they call childhood friends?

‘But isn’t the childhood friend trope doomed to fail?’

I never imagined I’d get involved with this kid like this, so I was lost in pointless thoughts when the bus carrying us squeezed into a familiar alley and stopped.

“Alright, Dokgun and Yun-seo?”

With the bus fully stopped, I unbuckled my strangely suffocating seatbelt and followed the Teacher off the bus. The pufferfish kid, who had been occupying a corner seat, trailed behind me a step later.

The problem arose after we got off the bus.

“Um? Why isn’t Dokgun’s mother… here?”

What else could it be?

The problem was none other than the absence of someone to meet me.

It’s not like I’m three or four years old. Honestly, at seven, I can handle most things on my own.

Moreover, the bus stopped near my house.

Even at my current height, it would only take about ten tumbles to reach home, so it would be stranger if I couldn’t find my way.

Nevertheless, the kindergarten absolutely forbade children from going home alone.

Come to think of it, it was only natural.

What if a child, left to walk home alone, wandered off or something happened in the short distance?

So, having a parent pick up their child at the bus stop when kindergarten ended was a tacit rule between parents and the kindergarten—

‘Although sometimes it’s broken…’

It wasn’t that Mom had any malicious intent or anything.

Rather… she probably just lost track of time while focusing on work.

Perhaps because this had happened a few times before, today’s Teacher was already holding her phone to her ear while I was looking around with a perplexed expression, searching for my mom.

“Ah, yes! Is this Dokgun’s mother? Yes? Ah, yes, yes. You’re coming right now?”

As expected, she must have been engrossed in her work and lost track of time.

Anyway, the problem related to me was settled—

“Ah, yes. Hello. Are you Yun-seo’s father? The thing is…”

It seemed things weren’t going so well on the other end.

“Ah… Yes… Yes, yes… Then…”

The Teacher’s face grew increasingly troubled as the call dragged on, confirming my suspicions.

Perhaps something urgent came up that prevented them from picking Yun-seo up.

“We… don’t operate a separate afternoon session… Um, do you know how long it will be…?”

I tore my gaze away from the Teacher’s now completely distraught face and looked over to Yun-Seo, who was pouting and looking dejected as if the absence of someone to meet her was deeply upsetting.

Perhaps because the image of her puffed-up, poison-filled face from yesterday was still vivid in my mind, I couldn’t help but notice her deflated, balloon-like expression.

“Shall we go home now?”

That’s why I tugged on Mom’s sleeve as she caught her breath, having rushed out.

“Huh?”

Mom’s initial puzzlement at my action quickly turned to surprise as she followed my subtle gesture towards Yun-Seo. Her eyes widened.

It was as if she was wondering, ‘Why is she here?’

But that only lasted a moment. Seeing Yun-Seo’s dejected face and the Teacher’s distressed expression as she clutched her phone, Mom instinctively sensed something was wrong.

“Um, Teacher?”

“…Yes?”

“Did something happen?”

“Ah, well…”

The Teacher hesitated, perhaps reluctant to reveal another family’s private matters. But realizing there was no easy solution, she finally spoke.

“Yun-Seo’s father was supposed to pick her up, but…”

From what I gathered, something incredibly urgent had come up, forcing him to leave the house unexpectedly.

He seemed to be asking if the kindergarten could look after Yun-seo until he could resolve the situation.

“Hmm… Is that so? Excuse me, would it be alright if I spoke with Yun-Seo’s father for a moment?”

“Yes? Ah! Yes!”

Perhaps sensing a glimmer of hope in Mom’s words, the Teacher readily handed over her phone. Her dexterity was quite impressive.

After securing the means of communication, it was Mom’s one-woman show.

“Hello? Is this Yun-Seo’s father?”

The beginning was ordinary enough.

“Yes, I’m Dokgun’s mother. We met yesterday. Do you remember?”

Fortunately, he seemed to remember. Mom’s expression brightened slightly.

“Yes, yes, the thing is…”

I turned my attention back to the still-dejected kid.

Despite her sullenness, she couldn’t seem to contain her curiosity about her own situation.

Her tiny ears, peeking out from her slightly messy brown hair, twitched repeatedly.

Even if she pretended to be tough, she was still a child.

Seeing that vulnerability after witnessing her puffed-up demeanor, the contrast was, honestly, quite cute.

It felt like watching a little one trying to act like an adult.

I couldn’t help but smile, and in that moment, my eyes met hers.

“…Hiccup!”

Was she embarrassed that I caught her observing me?

Her soft cheeks flushed crimson as she lowered her head further and a hiccup escaped her.

‘Oh dear…’

While I chuckled at her reaction, Mom’s conversation finally ended, and she approached us.

“Um… Yun-Seo?”

“…”

“Your dad wants to talk to you.”

Long story short, Yun-Seo ended up waiting for her dad at our house, not the kindergarten.

I don’t know why, but my mom seemed… rather pleased about it.

“Yun-Seo, do you like cookies?”

“…Y-Yes.”

Perhaps unable to maintain her aloofness towards Mom, who was genuinely trying to help, the little one, perched awkwardly on the edge of the sofa, fidgeted with her fingers, and nodded with the most awkward gesture imaginable.

Then she quickly lowered her head, seemingly embarrassed by the situation.

I wasn’t sure what she was so embarrassed about.

Anyway, after sacrificing my precious snacks under the guise of hospitality, and perfectly arranging them with drinks, Mom—

“Oh, I forgot I need to send those documents…”

—began her stealthy retreat, putting on a performance that anyone could see was fake.

“Dokgun, Mommy has some urgent work to do. Can you stay here and eat snacks with Yun-Seo?”

‘Wait, Mom?’

And just like that, she slipped out of the living room before I could protest.

Left alone with her, I felt a bit awkward.

I understood Mom’s desire to give her son early exposure to the opposite sex, but… wasn’t seven years old a bit too early?

‘Even though I’m seven too…’

Regardless, seven was too young.

But I couldn’t just leave a seven-year-old alone in an unfamiliar environment. So, I cautiously offered her some snacks.

In my vast life experience of a combined 34 years (across two lives), I’d never met a kid who didn’t like snacks.

“Um… Aren’t you going to eat?”

I couldn’t help but be cautious, though.

It felt like I was carefully offering food to a stray cat that had barely been touched by human hands.

Thankfully, she didn’t seem to dislike snacks, as befitting a child.

Yun-Seo glanced at me before cautiously reaching for the plate of cookies.

She picked up a piece of a cookie, tragically broken in half during its unwrapping, and brought it to her lips… all while glancing at me repeatedly.

‘Is there something on my face?’

She glanced so much that I genuinely started to wonder.

Finally, Yun-Seo opened her tiny lips and took a bite of the chocolate chip cookie—

Crunch!

Her eyes widened.

It seemed the cookie was quite to her liking.

The highlight came next.

Grrrumble…!

A rather loud rumbling sound accompanied the rabbit-like nibbling, and Yun-Seo froze, her face turning bright red as if mortified by the noise.

My reaction?

I thought it was perfectly understandable.

Children in curiosity mode didn’t stop just because it was mealtime.

She’d barely touched her lunch, so of course she’d be hungry.

‘Hmm, what to do…’

Eating cookies on an empty stomach would only give her a stomachache…

But making something for her was risky… If I got caught using the stove or a knife, Mom would definitely freak out.

Of course, I was confident in my ability to handle them, but Mom didn’t know that. From her perspective, it would look like her precious son was playing with fire.

But I couldn’t just leave her like this…

‘Oh, whatever!’

After a moment of hesitation, I stood up.

I could just avoid using the stove and knives.

If I did that, even if I got scolded later, it would only be for messing up the kitchen.

“Hey, follow me.”