20. Tears of a woman…?
The special examiner who looked at my evaluation during the check-out.
He was the person who successfully completed my exit screening, which almost made me cringe, and was like a benefactor to me.
At the fact that I had forgotten the benefactor’s voice for a while, I opened my mouth, barely enduring the rush of shame.
“Hey, over there! Sorry! I should have noticed sooner!”
「hahahaha, it’s okay. What… I was able to fully confirm my value to Jinhyo-“
“Sorry! I’m really sorry!”
At the words of the special examiner, who was filled with regret, there was nothing I could do but repeat the words of apology.
Even though the other person would have no way to see it, I was just apologizing while bowing my head in the air.
「―hahahahaha. It’s a joke.」
Fortunately, as if my apology had reached me, the judge’s bright voice came through the receiver.
「I think I was being too naughty. Excuse me.」
“Ahahahaha, no. On the contrary, I am sorry for disappointing you.”
「… Fufufu, it’s really fun.”
I was puzzled by the judge’s sudden remark, but I decided to pass it on without thinking deeply because there was also my mistake.
First of all, I asked the judge about business.
“Hey, but why are you calling….”
「Huh, I just walked.」
“… Yes?”
「Did you hate being called for nothing?」
I answered in a bewildered voice to the judge’s playful words.
“Uh… It’s not that I hate it.”
「… Ha ha ha, just kidding. Jinhyo-nim’s reaction is so funny that I keep playing around with it.”
“Ahahahaha.”
You’re a more mischievous person than I thought.
「… Huhuhu, don’t hate it… Okay.
Next time, would you mind if I just call you?」
“Uh, um… Anytime you need a companion.”
「Talking companion. The man is a talker…. This is very good. Whoop whoop.”
The examiner seemed to like my answer and spoke in a pleasant voice.
「Then, I will tell you the real business now.」
“Yes, what is it?”
「First of all, Mr. Jinhyo. Did you enjoy going out?」
“Eh.”
At the words of the examiner going out, I, who had a corner to be stabbed, let out a short scream.
How the hell did you know?
I asked, sweating profusely.
“How did you do that….”
「Fufu, you can know everything. Anyway, did you enjoy it?”
“That… yes. Enjoyed.”
「… Hey, aren’t you afraid to go out or something like that?”
“Yes? Are you scared?”
Are you scared? What?
「… Whoops, that was a stupid question.
Sorry. You keep making the mistake of forgetting that you shouldn’t put Jinhyo-sama on the same level as other men.”
“… Ah, that’s what you said.”
After hearing what the judge said, I could understand why he said that.
I’ve said it a few times, but
Men in this world are extremely afraid of women.
In addition, it is unfortunate for men in this world, but this world has an imbalanced s*x ratio, and the population of women is overwhelmingly greater than that of men.
As a result, there are inevitably more women than men in society, and most of the people walking around are women.
That is why men are very afraid of going outside where there are many women.
It’s absurd, but this was the reality of this world.
Anyway, men in this world are reluctant to go out. At worst, to the point of causing a game.
Fortunately, this is also said to have been mitigated by the government’s legal regulation of the Male Protection Act and Safety Zone.
Until then, it was said that it was common for most men to voluntarily live in the corner of a room.
Fortunately, safety zones are gradually increasing, and men’s outdoor activities have increased due to women’s activities to protect men, but…
Now, another problem arose as men tried to stay inside the safety zone.
To give an example, you don’t have to go far, it was a situation that you could tell just by looking at the men in the shelter.
From my point of view, living in a shelter was like prison, but other men didn’t think that way at all.
Rather, it was a situation in which such a closed environment was considered safe, and rather preferred.
It is indeed a strange world.
Of course, it was from my point of view.
“I wasn’t particularly uncomfortable or scared.
Rather, I prefer going out. Even at the shelter, I liked going for walks, so I tended to go around often.”
「Whoops, it’s just as written in the life record book.」
Huh? The shelter records that too.
This is the first time I’ve heard of this.
「I saw records that Jinhyo was doing well not only in the shelter but also in the welfare center.」
“Ahahahaha. Was there even such a trivial thing written down? It’s a little embarrassing.”
「I’m ashamed. I assure you, I think it’s something to be proud of.
But, Mr. Jinhyo.”
The judge’s voice became quite serious.
「No matter how uncomfortable you are outside and even if you say you like going for walks, you were too careless this time.」
“… ….”
Ugh, are you getting scolded as expected?
「No matter how safe the residential area is, going out without an escort. It was a very risky move.”
“… Sorry. It looks like you unintentionally caused concern.”
I readily admitted my mistake and delivered an apology to the examiner.
「… I think I was too intimidated by Jinhyo. Sorry.”
“No. It was my fault.”
To see if my sincere apology was delivered properly, I heard the judge’s voice, which had definitely softened compared to before.
「Huh, actually, it wasn’t something I was going to tell Jinhyo directly like this.」
“Oh, is that so?”
「Unlike other men, you communicate well, so you can convey to Jinhyo what you don’t have to say.」
Uh… Should I take this as a compliment?
「Please, please bear with me even if you feel frustrated for the time being. Security officers will be assigned as soon as possible.”
“Yes, I understand.”
「Huh, that’s good. Then, we will pass the rest on to the guardian. Could you please change the phone to the guardian?」
“… A guardian?”
Are you looking for my mother?
“Are you talking about your mother?”
「Yes, it is.」
“Uh… My mother isn’t here right now.”
「… Hmm? Didn’t you just come back?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
「Then where are you going… 」
At this time, I could vaguely feel that my conversation with the judges did not mesh.
Feeling that, I first explained the situation to the examiner.
“My mother has urgent business, so she is away in the morning.”
「…… Yes?”
The unbelievable voice of the judge came over the handset.
「… Did you go out in the morning?」
“Yes. In the morning because of work-“
「Then who did you go out for a walk with?」
Before I could finish my words, the judge urgently asked me.
Of course…
“You went alone?”
「… ….」
There was no sound coming from the receiver for a while.
The silence lasted so long that I thought the phone was disconnected for a moment.
“What? Hello there?”
「… Hyo Jin. Is it really true that you went out alone?”
“That’s right.”
「… According to my information, I heard that Jinhyo-sama was at the playground with her guardian.”
How did you know that?
Is the men’s division spying on me?
Ugh, that’s kind of creepy.
From noble mtl dot com
“It is true that I was at the playground.”
「Then who were you with?」
“That, while walking… “
In response to the examiner’s question as if interrogating me, I spoke up as if confessing.
“I met a neighbor who lives in the same neighborhood by chance.”
「… What … still?”
“I wanted this to be fate… To build up a relationship between neighbors, we talked a little at the playground together.”
「… ….」
“Ah, that… Don’t worry too much. Because you were a good person. Most of all, when I came home, he personally escorted me—”
「… I am Jinhyo. Hold on, hold on.
Could you give me a minute to sort things out?」
The examiner spoke in a voice of disbelief, then began to pause as if organizing his thoughts for a while.
「So… ha. Umm… Let’s get this sorted out.
Jinhyo-sama’s mother left early in the morning due to her work problems.」
“Yes.”
「Jinhyo-nim was alone at home and went out for a walk by herself.」
“Yes.”
「Meeting a neighbor by chance while walking.」
“Yes.”
「I returned home after talking with my neighbor at the playground, is this correct?」
Wow, you’re really good at organizing.
“Yes, just as you said.”
「… ….」
“Huh? Hey? Hello?”
Again, no sound came from the handset.
And after a while.
「Are you insane now, Jinhyo-nim!!!!」
Over the receiver, the judge’s angry voice was heard.
The sound was so loud that it hurt my ears.
「I thought I would just give up one hundred steps and go out! But to go out alone!”
“Ahh… ….”
「Besides that, going out alone wasn’t enough, I was with a woman I had never met! Does this make sense now!」
“That, that… You weren’t a bad person….”
「How do you know that! What did she do if that woman took a bad look at her and approached her!”
A high-pitched voice filled with the judge’s wrath struck my eardrum through the receiver.
I opened my mouth, dropping the receiver a little from my ear to protect my eardrum.
“Hey, Judge, please calm down. Eunjin wasn’t a bad person.”
「Calm down?! Do I look real now! And Eunjin?! Are you Eunjin?! Did I hear you right now?!”
“Ahh… yes. That’s right. His name is Eunjin-“
「You’re not asking for your name, are you?
What the hell is that! To call a woman you’ve never met in such a friendly way!”
“No, then what should I call it….”
「How do I know!
Let’s get over that girl’s problem for now! Isn’t that what’s important!”
Quick.
No, that b*tch.
No matter how angry you are, you are very talkative.
I spoke to the examiner as if arguing.
“Aren’t you too harsh to say that she’s a b*tch?”
「Ha?! She’s better than me right now… , Are you defending the women’s side?! The woman she met for the first time today?!”
“… It’s only been a day since I met the judge.”
「Yes! Well done! If you don’t call me by name, why do you call her by her first name while giving her her name!”
What is it, man?
Are you mad at me for not calling you by your first name?
“That was the problem? Shall I call you Jaehee from now on?”
「Hey–!」
When I called the examiner by name, a strange moaning sound was suddenly heard over the receiver.
What is this?
「Hey, in this atmosphere! Go like that, suddenly calling! Joe, isn’t that a bit much!”
No, what to do with me.
「Ah, anyway! Stop trying to get me off topic! It doesn’t work!」
No, what do you mean by that?
What do you flirt with?
「More than that, my mother is also a problem! Why did you leave Jinhyo-sama alone!」
“… I beg your pardon?”
「Does it make sense that she left her son alone and went out with common sense! That’s what a mother is!”
… ….
I tried to just listen and listen, but I couldn’t.
Even if you put up with cursing at me,
Cursing my mother is
I can’t stand it!
“What! My mother did nothing wrong!!”
「…… !!」
“It’s my fault for going out alone, so I can’t stand being angry with me! However!-“
「―I’m not angry!」
“You’re screaming!”
「It’s just that my throat got bigger!」
“That’s what makes me angry!”
「No!」
“Yes! Even so! But even if I put up with everything, I can’t stand cursing at my mother!”
「Yo, I didn’t swear!」
“You told my mother that there was a problem!”
「What kind of insult is that!」
“Such an insult is enough insult to me! So apologize!”
「Why am I apologizing?! The apology is Jinhyo-nim-“
“Me? Why? To whom?”
「Of course!…… 」
“Besides! It was my heart to go out in the first place, so why do I have to be scolded by the judge?!”
「Are you saying that now?!
And you asked me to call you by my first name!”
“I told you not to call me!”
「Call me!」
“I hate it!”
「Are you going to be mean like this?!」
“I won’t call anyone by their first name if they yell at me!”
「Where is that!」
“Bee~ What a pity! Here it is!”
For such a long time,
While raising my voice, I was having a fierce(?) Verbal fight with the judge…
Tiriling―.
Startled by the sound, I turned my head toward the front door.
And there,
“Son!!”
My mother was running inside her with her face drenched in sweat.
“Oh, oh my, what a nerd?!”
As soon as my mother found me, she walked over to me with a sprint, and she grabbed me by the shoulder.
“Haa- haa-.”
“Uh, mother… ?”
My mother looked at me in silence for a while, catching her rough breath.
“Haa— haa— son.”
“Yes, yes?”
“Whoa…. Under-. Who are you?”
“… Yes? Who, who?”
My mother looked at me with fierce eyes instead of her usual kind eyes.
“In the world, who is that woman called Guardian?”
“… Yes?”
I couldn’t understand what my mother said at all.
A woman called a guardian? What do you mean?
And my only guardian is my mother, right?
What are you talking about…
“Mom, if it’s for the sake of the son, can you put up with it no matter what?”
Mother said with a face that looked like she was about to burst into tears.
I was stunned by her mother’s crying face and couldn’t say anything.
“… ….”
“By the way, by the way!”
My mother finally broke her cry, hugged me, and cried out.
“Huh! Taking her mother’s place! No matter who comes! Absolutely unbearable! No, I can’t forgive you! aaang!”
“Eh, mom?!”
“Huh! Black! What the hell! Who is that Anne?!
My good son! Whoops! Cheating! A woman who called herself a guardian! aaang!”
「―Hello! Hello! Jinhyo-sama?!――
Hey, Choi Jin-hyo!!”
So I
Forgetting that I was on the phone with the examiner,
“Huh! aaang!”
“Uh, Mom….”
I focused all my energy on comforting my mother who was crying sadly in my arms.
Is this something I did wrong?