A Man's Gratitude and the Family's Misunderstanding

The situation only came to an end after an entire tank was reduced to scrap.

The female soldiers withdrew while stealing glances at Shinwoo. Any conscripted soldier would normally want to finish weekend duties as quickly as possible and return to base, yet they trudged away with tear-streaked faces.

In their hearts, they wished they could remain on standby until dawn.

Watching them shuffle off, Shinwoo felt a pang of guilt. After all, this entire incident had happened because of him.

He waved at them as a form of comfort, carefully meeting the eyes of each woman whose face was caked in camouflage cream.

Their tearful expressions instantly brightened into smiles. The effect was more powerful than any morale performance could ever achieve.

I did well to come here...

If my duties were always like this, I would have given up my holidays and re-enlisted on the spot...

...As soon as I get back, I need to hit the bathroom first.

Meanwhile, once nearly all the troops stationed in the alley had withdrawn...

"Hehe. Oh dear. It seems we misunderstood the situation."

"It appears so..."

The two elderly women who had been hesitating finally stepped forward in front of Shinwoo. They were the Commissioner of the National Police Agency and the current Commander-in-Chief of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces.

Though they had no grandchildren of their own, they looked at Shinwoo as if he were their grandson, wearing bittersweet smiles.

At their age, they had long abandoned any desire to date a man. A wrinkled old grandmother like them would have none of those primal female instincts left. All they harbored was the simple wish to look impressive in front of a young boy.

"Are the two of you in overall command of this incident?" Shinwoo asked.

The two old commanders answered sheepishly.

"Oh my, the young man can speak too. How admirable."

"Hehe. That's right. Though we've only shown you our unsightly sides..."

"Not at all. Since this happened because of me, thank you."

Whatever the case, it had all occurred because of him. In his previous life, no matter how desperate or deadly the situation, no one had ever stepped forward to help.

Shinwoo bowed deeply at the waist in gratitude.

Their eyes widened. A man, offering thanks!

During the Korean War and the Vietnam deployment, men had shoved away helping hands, accusing the women of trying to touch them inappropriately. Perhaps men's ethical standards had risen somewhat since then.

His physique resembled a female soldier returning from the battlefield—burly yet agile, incredibly pleasant to look at. Even his manners were adorable enough to melt their hearts.

This was the first time in their old age hearing a man's sincere gratitude. The two commanders smiled with warm affection and each took one of Shinwoo's hands, holding them tightly.

Then, as if soothing a grandchild, they spoke.

"Hohoho. Not at all. Your name is Han Shinwoo, correct?"

"Ah, yes..."

"Shinwoo. Incidents like this are simply 'ordinary occurrences.' If you ever find yourself in danger again, we will come running just like today."

"No, you really don't have to go that far..."

"Our police ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠side will prepare something even more impressive next time."

Hohohoho. The two old women laughed with delight. With benevolent expressions, they casually spoke of driving another tank into the city streets—all because of him.

Shinwoo couldn't bring himself to smile, feeling the weight of their attention. But this was only the beginning.

"Here, take this."

"And mine as ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠well."

They personally handed him business cards containing only their phone numbers.

"These are our private lines."

"P-private... numbers?"

"If you're ever struggling or require armed support, contact us anytime."

"We don't usually do this for just anyone, but Shinwoo feels so much ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like a grandson that we're making a special exception."

Before he knew it, Shinwoo had obtained two direct lines to the nation's military power. He wanted to return them, but the grandmotherly smiles that looked at him with such affection made him simply slip the cards into his pocket.

Yes. He'd keep them, but he definitely wouldn't call. It felt like it would spark an actual war.

"Thank you..."

"Hohoho. Then we'll see you again if anything comes up, Shinwoo."

"If you're ever bored, come up to the top floor of Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. I'll treat you to plenty of delicious food."

With those words, the two elderly women climbed into their chauffeured vehicles and disappeared into the distance.

It felt as if a massive storm had passed. Only then did Shinwoo let out a long breath.

He kept wiping away the cold sweat that streamed down his skin.

Truly, it was a pressure he had never experienced even in his previous life.

Still, everything seemed to have resolved well in the end. With the situation wrapped up, Shinwoo turned with a smile toward where his family waited.

The tanks had already withdrawn, and his family—who must have been searching for him—they were...

"Who the hell are you?"

"Did you think I was that easy, Elena?"

"...Don't act so high and mighty just because your chest and hips are a little bigger."

"Hiiing..."

They were openly intimidating his one and only friend.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?!"

Despite his resolve, the moment Shinwoo stepped out, his family had already dragged Elena straight into her own house.

Elena knelt on the floor, trembling like a criminal awaiting judgment. The three mother-daughter trio sat on the sofa, glaring down at her with terrifying intensity. It had all happened in the blink of an eye.

This was the second time today he had gone back and forth to his friend's house. Yet unlike before, there was no excitement or joy this time. Only a pounding headache.

"So what was your name again?"

"E-Elena... Elena Barbachof..."

"Your name itself lacks any manners."

"That's right!"

"Why is your name like that? Are you trying to pick a fight with me, your senior?"

"I-I'm sorry..."

It was pure harassment disguised as conversation. They were being ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠completely unreasonable, but outnumbered and overwhelmed, Elena had been rendered mute.

All three women were on edge, nerves stretched tight.

Shinwoo tried to intervene.

"Mother. If you suddenly act like this, you'll scare Elena..."

"Son! Don't tell me you're saying that girl is more precious to you than your own mother?"

At one word from her son, the fierce expression on Mother's face crumpled into tears. Shinwoo shut his mouth, unable to say anything more.

"Mijin. That sister isn't a bad person..."

"Not bad? Brother, in my eyes, the very existence of a woman like her is bad."

Next he tried to persuade his younger sister, but her eyes already held deep, dark abysses. The sight was so chilling that Shinwoo opened his mouth only to close it again.

Finally, he turned to his older sister Chaewon, who at least attended the same school.

"Sister..."

"Remember this. If you try to get involved with Shinwoo one more time, your remaining school life will become truly unenjoyable."

Honestly, she was the most terrifying of the three. The other two might never see Elena again after today, but Chaewon was different. Being marked by the third-year student council president was like a private being targeted by a squad leader in her final days of service.

"Sister, why are you acting like this?!"

Among the three, Chaewon seemed to be glaring at Elena with the most frightening intensity. Shinwoo stepped between them to clear up the misunderstanding.

"Elena is actually a really good kid despite how she looks!"

He had meant it as a compliment. But Elena, who had been quietly enduring their scolding, frowned and turned to ask him from behind.

"Despite how I look... does that mean my usual self appears bad?"

"No, that's not what I meant..."

"Did I really look that strange to you?"

Elena felt strangely anxious. The moment Shinwoo called her "a good kid despite appearances," it sounded like he was saying she looked unpleasant on the outside. Worry flooded in.

Even she didn't understand why this made her so anxious. After thinking for a moment, she decided it must be because of her pride. After all, she was the queen of the first-years. She had grown smart following her elite mother and even had a father. For someone like her to receive such treatment naturally made her upset and restless.

That was how Elena deceived herself about her own feelings.

Meanwhile, the three women watched their son, younger brother, and older brother chatting so familiarly with a complete stranger. Their faces flushed bright red. In a very bad way.

"You two. Can't you talk from further apart?!"

Mother spoke with a smile. But that smile... was far too terrifying to be called one.

Elena snapped back to her senses. After glancing at Shinwoo's mother, she looked at the women on either side of her. Chaewon and Mijin. They were all smiling, yet their expressions resembled Vikings eagerly awaiting battle. It was utterly terrifying.

"Mother. We need to talk up close. How can we do it from far away..."

"Then don't talk at all!"

"That's right, Brother! If you have anything to say, I'll listen to all of it!"

"Me too! I can do that for you, Shinwoo!"

This scene felt strangely familiar... At this rate, similar situations would continue forever.

So Shinwoo came up with a clever plan. He had heard that people connected through shared experiences. If he could create common ground between Elena and his family, perhaps they could all laugh together.

Clumsy as he was with relationships, Shinwoo—his mind filled with flowers—spoke his next words.

"Mother, please listen. Elena was also born into a family with a man, just like us."

"...!"

"What..."

"R-really?"

He had their attention. The mother who had been glaring daggers at Elena relaxed the tension around her eyes at her son's words. The older and younger sisters who had been staring intensely were equally shocked. After all, they had heard that households with men were extremely rare in this world.

If he created empathy like this and gave them topics to share, maybe it would work. Shinwoo smiled and waited for his family's response.

But what came back was not a friendly reply.

"No... she already has a man around her and she's still trying to date another one?"

"You... are seriously a crazy bitch, aren't you?"

"Brother. Mijin knows what this is. That sister is trying to two-time."

It sounded closer to the growls of savage beasts. The situation had taken a far more dangerous turn.

...Why?

Unable to contain their fury, all three family members lunged at Elena as if they would tear her apart. Shinwoo jumped into the middle, doing his best to act as her shield. Elena behind him was in a complete panic as well.

"I-I'm s-s-sorryyyyy!"

Her cheeks were being pinched, her hair grabbed, her chest squeezed—it looked painful.

In this five-minutes-to-chaos situation, what was he supposed to do? As Shinwoo looked around for a solution, his eyes met those of Yoo Han-kyung, the NIS team leader who was still hiding inside the house.