This World is too Cruel to Men

They say graduation inherently comes with a mix of emotions.

But considering this was my second middle school graduation, including my previous life, I didn’t expect to feel much.

I was wrong.

Far from feeling nothing, the moment I opened my eyes this morning, I was overwhelmed by a wave of complex emotions—

“What’s this?”

It was enough to make me wonder.

No matter how much I thought about it, there was no reason for it.

Maybe this feeling stems from the high probability of spending a day like today alone.

What else could it be?

I don’t know what kind of work keeps my dad so busy that he can’t even attend his only son’s graduation ceremony, but he said he couldn’t make it today.

He sounded so apologetic when he told me over the phone last night that I almost felt sorry for him.

That’s why I used Yun-Seo and her family as an excuse when I talked to him yesterday.

If I hadn’t, he would have insisted on coming, no matter how difficult it was for him.

Anyway, I thought maybe that’s why I felt this way since morning, but… After washing up and thinking about it again, it didn’t seem entirely true.

While that played a part, there seemed to be another reason.

And that reason stemmed from my previous life.

In my past life?

The significance of middle school graduation wasn’t that big.

Well, it was big, but compared to other graduations, it felt relatively less important.

That’s because graduating high school meant becoming an adult, and graduating university meant leaving school and becoming a member of society.

Even elementary school graduation?

It meant shedding the shell of a little kid and becoming an adolescent.

Compared to those, middle school graduation simply meant going from middle school to high school… It naturally felt less significant.

But in this world?

In this world where most men only finished high school?

Unlike my previous life, middle school graduation carried a significant weight.

In my past life, even after high school graduation, I had the safety net of university or retaking the entrance exam. But here, that was practically impossible.

For men, graduating high school meant unequivocally becoming an adult and a member of society… So around this time, around middle school graduation, such thoughts naturally arose.

So—

“What am I going to do after graduating high school?”

That thought naturally popped into my head.

Isn’t it too early to worry about this when I haven’t even had my high school entrance ceremony yet?

Well… is it, really?

It’s similar to how kids who just entered high school in my past life started worrying about which university to go to.

I understand that there are still three years left, but I can’t help but think about it.

It would have been nice if men could also have those “talents.”

If that were possible, I wouldn’t have to rack my brains over my career path and could just live by utilizing my talent.

So, is it only the trophy husband or the odd-job ending for men?

After sighing heavily for a while due to the suffocating feeling from early morning, I put on my middle school uniform, likely for the last time.

Maybe it’s because I’ve been thinking so much since I woke up.

Honestly, I didn’t feel anything until yesterday, but the uniform felt particularly small today.

It felt even smaller because I bought it in a larger size, anticipating I’d grow taller.

Since it was the last time, I even neatly tied the necktie, which I usually ignored out of laziness—

Ding-dong—!

Someone rang the doorbell at an unusual hour for the morning.

When I went to see who it was, surprisingly, it was Yun-Seo standing at the door.

“What?”

“What.”

“I’m just surprised to see you up so early.”

She usually wanders in dreamland until I’m done getting ready and go over to her house. Could she have woken up early because it was graduation day?

“A person can wake up early sometimes. It’s not a big deal… What about you? Why aren’t you ready yet?”

“Huh…”

“What’s with that reaction?”

“Nothing. It’s nothing.”

“So, what’s that ‘nothing’?”

“Well, I… I never thought I’d hear something like that from Oh Yun-Seo, of all people. So I’m a little surprised.”

“This…!”

It seems I hit a nerve since it was the truth.

She started throwing something resembling cat punches, and as I dodged them, the box she was holding made a rattling sound.

Why a box so early in the morning?

“What’s that?”

“Ugh… You’re good at dodging.”

“Are you sending a package or something?”

“Huh? What package?”

“Well, you’re holding a box.”

“Ah… this? It was in front of your house.”

“Huh?”

In front of my house?

I didn’t see anything like that when I came home after a light jog last evening.

I’ve used early morning delivery a few times, but I haven’t ordered anything recently, so did it arrive after I got home yesterday?

Even if it did, I haven’t bought anything lately.

“It looks like it came from overseas. Did you buy something weird?”

“…Ah.”

Yun-Seo’s words reminded me of something.

“Mom must have sent it.”

“Your mom?”

“Yeah, she said she’d send a graduation gift since she couldn’t come.”

She told me last night, so I figured it would arrive sometime and didn’t think much of it. I didn’t expect it to arrive so quickly.

“…So, she’s not coming today either?”

“That’s what she said. It sounds like something came up again.”

“Seriously… what keeps happening?”

Is this the power of ten years?

Yun-Seo fumed, expressing her anger with her whole body as if it were her own issue.

Seeing that made me laugh for some reason.

It wasn’t because of anything else, but because it reminded me of her pufferfish mode from the past, which she used to display whenever she was even slightly upset.

It’s incredibly rude to laugh when someone is worried about you, so I lowered my head to hide my twitching lips.

Yun-Seo, deep in worry mode, must have misinterpreted my action as me being deeply disheartened.

“Hey… are you okay…?”

“S-Stop…”

She asked so cautiously, her voice filled with concern, that it added fuel to my already twitching lips.

I almost lost it.

My lips were itching to smile, but the atmosphere was not one where I could laugh.

After enduring the forced smile suppression, when I finally calmed down a bit, I took the box from Yun-Seo.

I figured I might as well check what she sent since it was here.

Did she buy me some electronics or something as a graduation gift?

“It’s a bit light for that…”

If it’s not electronics, then what is it?

Curious, I stabbed the box with a plastic-bladed utility knife and started ripping the tape. Apparently, Yun-Seo was just as curious because she stealthily approached and naturally took the spot next to me.

It was so natural that I stared at her unconsciously, and she snapped back.

“…What.”

“Nothing.”

Anyway, I completely unpacked the box in front of Yun-Seo, and… another box emerged from inside.

I opened that one too, and another box appeared.

“Seriously…”

Why did she wrap it so meticulously?

I don’t know how many more boxes there are, but feeling excited at the prospect of throwing them all away, I ripped open the box again, and another box popped out.

However, this box was completely different in material and appearance from the previous ones.

Unlike the previous cardboard boxes, this one looked quite luxurious.

It had the kind of look that made me think it might contain a ring or something.

And there weren’t just one, but two of these boxes.

“What’s this…”

Did she really buy me a ring or a necklace?

The size and appearance of the boxes certainly suggested that.

If that were the case, I wouldn’t understand why she chose accessories, though.

It wasn’t just the luxurious-looking boxes that emerged from the multiple layers of packaging.

There was also an envelope with a bear or a raccoon printed on it, tucked underneath the small boxes.

She must have written a letter along with the gift.

I opened one of them and read it…

“Huh? Looks like she sent something for you too.”

Besides the usual apologies for not being able to attend the graduation ceremony and the assurance of her love, including Dad’s share, there was another message.

“…Me?”

“Yeah, the red one is yours.”

“R-Really…?”

Yun-Seo, just as curious about the contents of the small, luxurious-looking box, glanced at me before quickly snatching the red box from the table.

Dokgun, after glancing at Yun-Seo with amusement, returned his attention to the letter in his hand.

And Yun-Seo, who had been glancing at Dokgun, shifted her gaze to the small box in her hand.

*****

What is it?

What did she send?

The size and look of the box screamed accessory.

My heart had been pounding erratically since earlier, probably because of that.

Staring intently at the box in my palm, I took a few discreet deep breaths, then… carefully opened the lid.

What appeared before my eyes was…

“…Huh?”

A small, sparkling object, befitting the box’s appearance.

“A necklace…?”