It's Real
EP 1 It's Real. Hard to believe, but after society became a matriarchal one, the blood price of the powerless had become pocket change. People falling ill and dying in factories was just daily life in an industrial nation, so no one cared if a few workers died on the job. But when the victim was a man under national protection, the story changed completely. The Yoo Ji-tae abuse case became a massive bomb that could bankrupt the company, striking Chirnix like a thunderbolt. Of course, when an organization collapsed, the first head to roll was always the leader's. And who was that? None other than Chirnix's president, Lim Hye-yeon.
"I told you to screen them properly, you idiot!" Lim Hye-yeon slammed the personnel manager's head with her premium ebony-and-mother-of-pearl nameplate (worth two million won). The manager earned a monthly salary of one million nine hundred thousand won with no performance bonuses.
"Hey. What are we supposed to do now? The police sent a summons! They're calling me a male abuser!"
The manager stammered, "B-but you're the one who hired him, President... His resume had his name and the skill 'Patience' listed. I thought someone like that wouldn't run away and would work himself to the bone instead."
As punishment for talking back, the manager's head was cracked open and he was thrown out of the president's office. Alone now, Lim Hye-yeon hurled the broken nameplate into the trash.
"Aaaagh..." She clutched her head. The chances of a nationally protected man applying for such grueling work were zero. "Why... why... He could have just lived happily under protection. Why come to a place like this?"
Lim Hye-yeon turned on the TV. Reporters were gathered at the police station. They were waiting because they had been informed in advance that a man named Yoo Ji-tae would be arriving. Watching the screen, she clung to one last hope. Korea was a looks-obsessed country. Very rarely—only very rarely—if a man's appearance was extremely ugly, public opinion on male abuse tended to soften slightly. Yes, public opinion. Legal battles? She was confident she could shove all the annoying parts onto her subordinates and escape. But if public opinion turned against them and Chirnix was branded a male-hating company, the workshop would be finished.
"Please, please, please, please, please..." Lim Hye-yeon's eyes scanned the TV screen. The police car door opened. "Ah." A cheer almost escaped her. "Aaaah..." Lim Hye-yeon faced the cosmic horror radiating from the television. "Kyaaaaaaaah!!!"
EP 1 It's Real. Hard to believe, but inside the police station, Yoo Ji-tae pulled a blanket over his head and clutched it tightly. What is this? What happened? Did I come to another world? He nervously bit his nails. Everything was confusing. He had expected to be hated and killed by everyone, yet they were all treating him as precious, protecting him, even seeking revenge on his behalf. Never having received such treatment before, suspicion and rejection rose within him. Was this truly the world he knew? If this was the world, did that mean everything he had endured until now was just an illusion? What exactly was he? Countless questions surfaced. He made many guesses and shook his head repeatedly.
The assigned police officer and a civil servant in a black suit entered the conference room where he had been waiting. "Well... where should I begin the explanation?" It was time to guess the answer. "What I'm about to tell you is the real history that Yoo Ji-tae didn't know." And he realized it. For all those years, he had lived without knowing anything. For a very long time.
"The place Yoo Ji-tae lived in was probably the Femi District." In this world, the gender ratio had been shattered, leading to extreme male protection and absolute male supremacy becoming common sense. So who had shattered that ratio? Nature? God? Or an ice age and meteor collision that selectively killed only men? No. It had all been humans. "After a female-supremacist party took power and male-hating sentiments spread, massacres targeting men and a surge in male suicide rates gradually increased the female ratio. Once men could no longer voice political opinions, extreme discriminatory policies were implemented, bringing society to the brink of collapse."
"After that era lasted about a hundred years, public opinion finally gathered that men had to be protected. Based on the life-centered philosophy once advocated by Yoon Myung-hee, large-scale social reforms were carried out with male protection, absolute male supremacy, and a competitive society of virtuous wives and wise mothers as the core. The competitive element for members of society became how well they fit the ideal of a virtuous wife and wise mother. Those who didn't conform faced tremendous contempt."
"The Femi District was created to seal away the remnants of the past that couldn't be purged. Within that zone, all women are feminists, male hatred runs rampant, education and ideology are heavily skewed toward feminism, and there isn't even a crime of male abuse. The authorities view it as a stain on the virtuous-wife-and-wise-mother competitive society—a social problem."
Yoo Ji-tae opened and closed his mouth. "So... only the place I lived in was like that. That kind of... that kind of...?" Words wouldn't come out properly. His mind couldn't keep up with the situation. The civil servant nodded sympathetically, then smiled brightly. "Of course, now that you've come out, no one will ever do that to you again. If they did, they'd receive severe punishment under the male abuse law."
The civil servant took some documents out of his bag and handed them to Yoo Ji-tae. The title read [National Protection Benefits]. Yoo Ji-tae's eyes widened as he flipped through the papers. "The authorities protect men through absolute male supremacy and protection laws, supporting their lives with male pensions and various social benefits. And to address the current low birth rate, they also impose considerable obligations."
Yoo Ji-tae's hand stopped turning the pages. "Obligations?"
"Yes. It's nothing major. Um. First, sperm donation and sexual intercourse are mandatory. You must do it at least twice a week with fertile women. Of course, you can choose from the list of candidates in the Virtuous Wife and Wise Mother Reserve as you like. You can pick any woman from the top ranks."
"And you have to get married—two per year is the quota, so you'll have to be satisfied with that. Of course, a marriage where you live separately is fine too. Many people just register on the family register and meet occasionally."
"And there will be multiple blind dates every morning and evening. Sometimes ten at once, but if you want, five is also possible. The setup is handled by a dedicated department, so don't worry. And since Yoo Ji-tae has an outstanding appearance, giving lectures in front of women, occasionally appearing on variety shows or broadcasts, or even becoming an actor or model would be good."
Disgust rose in Yoo Ji-tae's stomach. He was glad to hear he no longer had to suffer after enduring so much. He was also glad the nation would support his life. But these things were obligations? He trembled at the sight of women and worried about being killed if he turned his back—how was he supposed to do any of that? It was hell. He absolutely couldn't accept it.
Yoo Ji-tae spoke haltingly. "What if... I don't want to?"
The civil servant and police officer calmly stared at him. Male aversion and avoidance toward women was a type of social phenomenon. If Yoo Ji-tae was one of them, it was simple. "May I ask your reason?"
Yoo Ji-tae bit his nail before answering. "...I've been through a lot of painful things because of women. I wanted to be loved, but I was never loved. I clung to that and ended up getting hurt. I think you already know how I feel."
"......Hmm." Elite Virtuous Wife and Wise Mother and Male Management Department Secretary Yoo Hyun-ah crossed her arms and briefly put her brain into full operation. He wanted to be loved by women. But he had never been loved. So what was Yoo Ji-tae's current state of mind? ...What is it? One of the biggest problems in modern virtuous-wife-and-wise-mother society was the mass production of psychopaths. The endless competition where the weak and losers were trampled to rise higher. In that process, women had largely lost the ability to understand others' feelings. But their logical side was excellent. Yoo Hyun-ah mulled over Yoo Ji-tae's words. He wanted to be loved. (Desire) But he had never been loved. (Lack) So Yoo Ji-tae's current state of mind was naturally— Twisted desire, overflowing sexual desire. Don't tell me... he thinks this isn't enough? Reaching her conclusion, Yoo Hyun-ah's eyes widened. He wants to sleep with even more women! Yoo Ji-tae reflected in Yoo Hyun-ah's eyes. A top-tier groom candidate you can't find in this day and age...!
"Understood. Then I'll adjust the number of blind dates and meetings with fertile women as much as possible. Let's coordinate while talking with me."
"Thank you for being kind. But to me, you're no different from the others, Officer. No matter how kindly you're treating me, I can only see women that way now."
He wants to sleep with me too?! Yoo Hyun-ah flinched and wrapped her arms around herself. "I-I'm married!"
"Well. Does that... matter?"
Married women are fine too?! "You... you...! But I'm already thirty...! Doing something like that now...!"
"Thirty, forty, it's all the same, isn't it?"
Yoo Hyun-ah's face flushed red and her breathing grew rough. Biting her nails and trembling her legs, she lowered her head to hide her expression. After breathing heavily, she calmed down and picked up a pen. Her hand holding the pen trembled. "Yes. Understood. Then... then we'll set a grace period."
"...A grace period?"
"When there are circumstances that make fulfilling national obligations difficult or other justifiable reasons, a certain amount of deferral is possible. I'll use my authority to set it at roughly three years. And... and..." Yoo Hyun-ah handed over her business card. "...Contact me later. I'll probably be leaving soon anyway."
Yoo Ji-tae accepted the card and put it in his wallet. He was grateful for the cooperation of a high-ranking official in his future life. "Thank you. I'll contact you if needed."
"Women aren't tools."
"Hmm. That's true. I'm sorry."
Once the situation was settled, the police officer clapped his hands. "We'll proceed with the investigation into Chirnix. For today, please go home and rest. You've worked hard."
As Yoo Ji-tae stood up, he approached Yoo Hyun-ah slightly. "W-what are you doing? This is a police station. Please consider the time and place."
"No. There's something I'd like to ask of you."
"A request?"
"Yes. Earlier, the reporters took my photo. I'd appreciate it if you could handle that well. You understand how I feel, right?"
Yoo Hyun-ah put her brain into full operation again. "...Ah. So that's it. Certainly. Understood."
"Yes. Then I'll leave it to you."
He's a good person. Really.And truly excellent...The boldness of not needing national protection. And the ambition to choose the women he'll meet himself from the world....Men like that are rare.... Yoo Hyun-ah smiled wistfully.
*****
I got into the assigned police officer's car and turned on my phone. There were thirty missed calls and over a hundred messages. They were from Chirnix's president, whom I had only texted a few times when I joined the company.
[Sorryyyyy I didn't know you were a man] [Let's talk] [I really want to meet and apologize I'm serious really] [Just once just once please please please please I'll beg if the company goes under I'm dead I said I'd commit suicide.]
Well, the police had stormed in. Apparently the president hadn't known I was a man. So she was regretting it now. "......Hmm." I still didn't really know. The police said they would continue the investigation into Chirnix, and it didn't seem like an atmosphere where I could make any requests about it. Besides, according to the civil servant Yoo Hyun-ah, men might seem protected on the surface but were actually playing the role of breeding stallions. An ordinary breeding stallion wouldn't have enough say to interfere in administration. And I wasn't sure if that was even allowed. [Just follow the procedures.] I sent the text. There was no reply after that. Well, she'd handle it somehow. I want to live quietly. If possible, without getting involved with women, so no one would recognize me. Cough. When I coughed, black blood splattered. "...I'll take medicine when I get home."
Stretching, I looked at the night view beyond the car window as I headed back to the dormitory. The flickering lights and the pitch-black sky without a single star. The night in a city without stars was still bright. People were still walking the streets, talking, laughing, some looking tired. If I had been a woman, I would have been living busily somewhere in there. When the red light turned on, the car stopped and the surrounding scenery became even clearer. I absentmindedly placed my hand on the window and scanned the street. Women were gathered in groups of three or five, looking at the square's electronic billboard. Thinking something must have happened, my gaze naturally went up to the billboard. [Male rescued after 20 years of abuse... Chirnix currently denying the crime] My face was displayed on it. Below, women were pointing at the billboard and giggling, some taking pictures of the screen with their cameras. Covering their mouths, they chatted with each other while pointing at my face on the billboard. What? Why? How come? "...Is it real?"
EP 1 It's Real. Hard to believe(Complete) "Haa... I'm tired...." I still didn't understand anything. How was everything working? "...I don't know." There was no point in worrying about things I didn't know. Maybe the media was in such an uproar that even Yoo Hyun-ah couldn't stop it. And I wasn't in a position to give orders anyway, so I just had to accept it. Click. When I turned on the light, the room was empty as always. In one corner of the room was a packet of medicine. Ah. I had left it behind. I had been so busy all day that I hadn't even thought about it. Next to it was a note that said, "If you need any errands run in the future, please let me know." A grateful person. I took out a stamina recovery potion from the packet. It was a low-grade item worth about fifty thousand won, but at least it had the function of slightly alleviating physical abnormalities. "Well, it probably won't have much effect." [Stamina Recovery Potion (E)] [Recovers a small amount of stamina. A cheap product made through imprecise mass production, so high effects cannot be expected.] Huh? What is this? "Status Window." Name: Yoo Ji-tae Class: Mage Stamina: 0.83 Strength: 1.00 Mana: 1.00 Skills Owned: None Skill: Hephaestus (SS) Hephaestus was the goddess of blacksmiths, and my skill was a crafting-type skill. So that meant I could easily view my status too. The stamina on the status window stood out. Stamina: 0.83 Stamina wasn't a concept of stamina but life points. The moment that stamina reached zero, I would meet true death. I opened a bottle of stamina recovery potion and drank it. [Stamina: 0.83] 〉〉〉 [Stamina: 0.84] "...I need to drink sixteen more bottles to get back to normal." But the more medicine you took, the less effective it became. After drinking three bottles, stamina no longer recovered, and drinking more would harm the body. In other words, 0.17 was deducted per day and 0.03 was recovered. At this rate, I would soon meet death again. "...After finally awakening, am I going to die again?" Lying sprawled out, I thought about Yoo Hyun-ah's proposal again, but I still had no desire to accept it. At least until the very end, I wanted to find another way. Was there no other method? Come to think of it, it said to collect points. Lowering my gaze, I checked the points. Points: 10 Huh? 10 points? Why? Focusing more, the point accumulation history appeared. + She saw me as a woman. (10 points) "...What is this." I didn't understand, but I decided to think of it as a bonus. [Enhancement Available] "...Hmm?" What was this now? [Enhancement Available] [Stamina Recovery Potion (E) → Lesser Elixir (D)] [Required Materials: Stamina Recovery Potion (E) (1/1), 3 points] [Enhance?] Tap. When I pressed the window with my finger and moved my hand, something flowed from my fingertip into the recovery potion. [Enhancement Complete] [Lesser Elixir (D)] [Greatly heals the user's exhausted mind and body and replenishes lacking vitamins. In the case of patients, it can slightly restore lost lifespan.] "...Well. I guess not." With a doubtful heart, I downed the drink in one shot. Taking off my top and standing in front of the mirror, I saw color returning to my complexion. [Stamina: 0.84] 〉〉〉 [Stamina: 1.05] "Jackpot."
EP 2 High School Graduate Myth