Episode 31

At the pork belly restaurant, Yu Arin ended up drinking heavily, and now she slowly opened her eyes.

“……”

It was hard to believe that she was the same girl who had been drooling and leaning over Kim Woojin’s shoulder in her sleep, given the alertness in her eyes now.

“Uh? You’re awake?”

Choi Yiseo had planned to bunk with Minji after putting Yu Arin and Min Ju-hee in her bedroom.

She was surprised to see Yu Arin awake when she entered her room to grab something.

“Yes, I’m awake.”

Saying so, she got up from the bed. Just moments ago, she had been so inebriated that she couldn’t even stand upright, but now, she felt different.

What could that be called?

“You…”

Was she even drunk?

Choi Yiseo had her doubts but she didn’t ask.

“Seems like I’m all sober after a bit of a nap?”

“You’ve been in my home for just ten minutes?”

Although it was too dark to see her expression, Yu Arin was smiling.

But it was slightly eerie and not a mere smile.

“Ah, I’m getting a call.”

She casually picked up her phone and showed the screen, which displayed the name Jeong Chan-woo.

“Thanks for lending me the bed, I had a good nap. Maybe I should leave now?”

Choi Yiseo, who had been staring at Yu Arin’s back as she walked past her and out of the room, couldn’t hold back and asked,

“Were you pretending to be drunk?”

“……”

“Why? Were you curious if Woojin would do something weird?”

Although she had clung to Kim Woojin, pretending to be drunk when she was with him, the moment he vanished, she sobered up.

Knowing she was Seo Yerin’s friend, Choi Yiseo couldn’t let it go.

For some reason.

Because the classmate in front of her just had the thought to test Kim Woojin.

“What are you pretending to be drunk for?”

But Choi Yiseo’s direct questions were smoothly dodged by Yu Arin, like a snake avoiding flowing water.

“I just woke up after a short nap, how funny is that?”

After a small sneer, Yu Arin grabbed the door handle and pulled it down.

“I’m leaving? I only used the bed for ten minutes, but it felt nice.”

Crack.

Thud.

Yu Arin left without answering; she was strangely unpleasant to Choi Yiseo.

Once outside, Yu Arin strolled down the street.

Her blonde hair stood out even in the dark night, drawing glances from passersby now and then.

A few intoxicated men even attempted to subtly approach her.

“Excuse me! Are you a Gahyeon University student? It’s me!”

“Hahaha, is this guy trying to get her number?”

Given the proximity to Gahyeon University, it was natural for many students to be around. Yu Arin shot them a cold, disdainful look and continued on her way.

“Hey, you, student of Gahyeon University?!”

A drunk man grabbed her wrist and snapped at her.

“Ah, damn.”

Yu Arin cursed in annoyance, further provoking the man.

Whack!

Yu Arin’s kick landed squarely on the man’s solar plexus.

“Ugh!”

The man, drunk and winded, doubled over.

“Blegh!”

He began to vomit on the ground.

A precise kick.

It was a technique that could only come from proper training; too valuable to be merely displayed under the light of the streetlamp.

“Haa.”

Yu Arin gritted her teeth and turned back towards her house.

“Choi Yiseo mentioned wanting to go to the gym,”

I spilled the beans.

At my words, Choi Yiseo who was beside me looked shocked, as if she had no clue what I was talking about.

“Choi Yiseo said she wanted to go to the gym.”

So, when I repeated it deliberately, Choi Yiseo blushed and promptly punched me in the shoulder.

“When did I ever say that!”

“Ouch, that really hurts!”

She tends to hit hard when she’s excited. Normally, being hit by a girl doesn’t hurt much, but this one really does.

Why is she using her fists like that when she works out?

“Choi Yiseo said she wanted to work out together. What are you thinking? We’re in front of the gym right now.”

Despite my reluctance to enter.

“…Why do they call it hell-th instead of health?”

I gave Choi Yiseo a thumbs up for at least asking.

“This is how you attract attention.”

All I learned from managing the Bamboo Forest was this.

“Well, let’s go in. It’s usually less crowded in the morning, but we’re here now because of you.”

“If I didn’t talk about buying running shoes to you, this future wouldn’t have happened…”

As I mumbled, feeling nostalgic, Choi Yiseo dragged me inside, telling me to stop talking nonsense.

We were going to buy a one-day pass, but the PT instructor offered us a free day’s use, saying we were friends of Choi Yiseo.

After changing into the gym clothes provided, I could see Choi Yiseo, who, unlike me, was quite impressively dressed for a workout.

Form-fitting black tights and a sleeveless tank top made her look very professional.

“Why do I look so shabby compared to you?”

Feeling inferior at the sight of her, I mumbled to myself, and Choi Yiseo laughed as if she found it amusing.

“No, it suits you well.”

“I’m wearing black pants and a black t-shirt, what am I supposed to say when you tell me it looks good?”

“That’s a good thing. Now hurry up, let’s start with the treadmill.”

“I walked here you know?”

“That’s not the same.”

Of course it is.

The gym was quite large, so there was plenty of room to use the treadmills. Walking next to Choi Yiseo I got to the point.

“But why bring me here? Did the PT instructor say he’ll give you a discount if you brought a friend?”

“…You think I brought you here for that? I’m just trying to get you to work out because I feel a bit uneasy. You told me last time that you would exercise.”

“When?”

Did I say that?

When I inquired, Choi Yiseo began to stumble and then muttered, gazing at the treadmill screen as if embarrassed.

“Th-last time at the walking path when the thugs showed up.”

“Ah! When you hugged me, then!”

“…Did you really have to mention that?”

“How can you remember that?”

When I admitted that I had forgotten about it, Choi Yiseo’s eyebrows twitched slightly. It seemed like she didn’t appreciate my response.

“Increase the speed.”

Suddenly, she ramped up the speed of my treadmill, compelling me to run.

Having recently run with her, it wasn’t too challenging to keep up with her pace.

I felt a presence beside me.

Despite the numerous treadmills available, someone opted to position themselves right next to me.

“Hello.”

He was a stylishly handsome guy.

It was Jeong Chan-woo, the good-looking part-timer at the Zero PC café and Yu Arin’s childhood friend.

“Uh? Hello.”

Unlike me, he appeared familiar with this place, as if this wasn’t his first visit.

Furthermore, the sleeveless workout attire he sported accentuated his well-defined biceps, which were indeed quite impressive.

“Have you been coming here long?”

Even while running, his breathing remained steady. Feeling overwhelmed, I slowed down to respond.

“No, just today.”

“Ah, I see. Is that your girlfriend next to you?”

As Jeong Chan-woo inquired, I glanced at Choi Yiseo and shook my head.

“No, she’s just a friend from the same department. We decided to work out together since we were bored.”

Glancing at Choi Yiseo, I noticed that she appeared a bit flustered, as if she didn’t anticipate me being acquainted with someone like Jeong Chan-woo.

In truth, we weren’t exactly acquaintances.

“I see.”

Jeong Chan-woo’s expression darkened slightly upon learning that she wasn’t my girlfriend.

“Did Arin make it home safely yesterday? She’s not answering my calls….”

“Ah!”

Realizing his concern, I replied with a smile.

“She was completely drunk, so she stayed over at their place. I just dropped her off and left.”

“Yu Arin said she sobered up and went home right after you left.”

“Eh?”

This raised the question of why she wasn’t answering Jeong Chan-woo’s calls, and when I glanced at him,

his expression wasn’t pleasant either. Still, he seemed relieved that nothing had happened between us and there hadn’t been any trouble.

“Let’s go, we didn’t come here to just run.”

At Choi Yiseo’s suggestion, we transitioned to strength training. I quickly said goodbye to Jeong Chan-woo and followed her.

“Someone you know?”

Right in front of the equipment, Choi Yiseo glanced at Jeong Chan-woo and asked.

“Nope. I don’t really know him. I was just introduced to him as Yu Arin’s friend at the PC café yesterday.”

“Hmm. That guy is pretty famous in the gym too. Famous for being handsome.”

As I suspected.

I nodded while observing Jeong Chan-woo running on the treadmill.

“Even a guy can admit he’s cool. I guess it makes me feel more out of place in these shabby gym clothes.”

As I spoke, glancing down at myself in the mirror, Choi Yiseo chuckled.

“Forget it, you look better.”

“If you want to flatter me, at least do it right. Who would believe that?”

“I’m saying…”

Choi Yiseo grumbled.

Not wanting to embarrass her unnecessarily, I started working out.

“But aren’t there gyms where guests aren’t allowed?”

“Not here, I asked before bringing you, and they said it’s fine.”

“Oh.”

Well, that settles it.

“Today is my leg day, so you’ll do that with me.”

“Well, let’s do that then.”

I agreed without much thought, but honestly, I regretted it a lot. The workout, which lasted about an hour and a half, was agony, as if my legs were being torn.

It’s not that I lacked strength, so I used some weight on the machines.

“Woah, Kim Woojin!”

Choi Yiseo appeared to be relishing it, steadily adding more weight and pushing me to my limits.

She frequently adjusted my form with a touch, which initially excited me a bit, but eventually made me want to snap her fingers.

“F-fuck! Why are you doing this!”

I grumble from my spot on the gym floor, as Choi Yiseo, equally drenched with sweat, responds with a laugh.

“Doesn’t it feel good? I started working out to avoid Minji by going out, but now I actually enjoy it.”

“Are you out of your mind? It feels like only crazy people gather here!”

“You always exaggerate things.”

“Exaggerate? Seriously? Can’t you hear those people cursing while lifting weights? Why do they willingly lift just to complain about it?”

“Maybe it’s some kind of battle cry?”

“What’s the point of lifting if you’re just going to drop it anyway?”

“You’re a mess. Let’s hit the showers and then maybe a café since it’s too early for dinner.”

“I need some sugar. Let’s go quickly.”

I walk to the changing room with a towel around my neck, accompanied by Choi Yiseo.

A familiar face enters the gym.

Seo Yerin, who seems to have finished her class, walks in with a bag slung over her shoulder.

Come to think of it, I heard that she started her personal training sessions on Choi Yiseo’s recommendation.

“Yiseo… and Woojin?”

They coincidentally bump into each other.