Seaweed Soup-2

Even as the evening workout time approached, I couldn’t easily shake off the uneasy feeling.

No, it can’t be. It won’t be.

Even trying to hypnotize myself, it was no use.

The Myungseong Building that Ho-cheol had dropped me off at.

I swallowed hard, looking up at the brightly lit 6th floor.

“I’ll head in now. Good work.”

Ho-cheol bowed and trudged away.

“Ho…”

For a moment, I thought about stopping Ho-cheol, but I stopped myself.

Behind him as he walked away, the faces of the Chief Manager, Maehwa, and Yeonhwa were faintly visible.

If I got help from Ho-cheol, I might find an easier solution.

But, what if Ho-cheol was harmed as a result? I wouldn’t be able to bear it.

Seeing someone else’s sacrifice helplessly was enough with the last timeline.

I didn’t want to feel that way again.

“Okay.”

I didn’t know what was okay, but I muttered that and went up.

Bright lights shone down, and I stood before the automatic door, looking inside.

Garam was working on something at the desk.

Probably sending out texts about the center’s opening to the remaining members, or dealing with the remaining payment for the remodeling.

I didn’t go right in, but watched her.

A smiling face, always full of energy. That’s the Garam I know.

Of course, she occasionally showed signs of anxiety, but the energetic first impression she gave me was still firmly etched in my mind.

Even if she’s plotting something behind my back, she shows me a good face in front of me.

No, to be precise, she tries to show me only a good face.

If I pretended not to know anything and hung out with her like this, if I had the conscience to ignore the uneasiness in my heart, her bright smile would greet me.

Should I stir the sea-weed soup in front of me with a spoon, scoop it up, and fill my mouth to see if it’s hot?

Even though it’s not certain that she did it, the predetermined future is visible.

Haha, shit.

And, of course, fear rises like a heat haze.

The physical pain I might experience when I face her.

The money sleeping in my account, money I’ve never even seen in my life.

The fear inherent deep within humans continues to tempt me to follow the natural order.

But, is that the right thing to do?

No, the answer is already decided. It’s just that I’m not brave enough to put it into practice.

This courage won’t be filled even if I take the time.

“Hoo…”

I take a deep breath.

Then I press the button to open the automatic door.

So, I.

I decided to crash head-on, so that this cowardly fear wouldn’t tempt me any further.

“Ah! You’re here?”

Garam gets up and comes to me.

I smile, showing my dimples, and high-five her.

“Hehe, you’re here early today.”

She links her arm with mine and pushes me towards the desk.

I don’t resist her strength and obediently go where she wants me to go.

We face each other across a desk.

She takes out a chart, checks my body changes, and introduces today’s workout program.

“Let’s run for about 5 minutes to warm up.”

I nod obediently to her words, change clothes in the locker room, and get on the treadmill.

I run slowly at a speed of 7.0km/h.

After 5 minutes, when my body is moderately warm, Garam stands behind me.

“Okay, let’s start working out.”

Today is leg day.

I perform the leg workout course, where my thighs are torn and my lower body is stiff, without complaint.

Normally, I would have collapsed and said I couldn’t do it, but today I feel strangely energized.

“Oh! You seem to be working out well today?”

Garam also noticed my change and raised her thumb while I was doing leg presses.

After the workout, Garam and I finished cleaning up the center and headed home.

As always, I drive her home in my car.

Sitting in the passenger seat, she continues to maintain the high tension she showed me.

“You’ve been working out well lately, I just wish you’d be a little more careful about eating delivery food.”

“I’m always curious, how do you know so well? I’m trying to hide it.”

“You’re too confident, so I have nothing to say. It’s all a trainer’s intuition. Hehe!”

Seeing her make a V shape on her face, I forgot about today’s uneasiness for a moment and laughed.

“Ah, Garam. Did you apologize to the cafe employee last time?”

Now familiar with her neighborhood, I brought up the question that had been lingering in my mouth while I was working out.

As if it were nothing, as if she had just remembered, I asked lightly like a spring breeze.

“Yes, I did. Thankfully, they understood. I don’t know why I was like that back then…”

She also takes it lightly. Even blaming herself for the past with an awkward smile.

It’s a situation where I should feel relieved, but I still didn’t feel relieved.

“I went to the cafe with Ho-cheol today, and there was a new employee.”

“Did they change their shift?”

“No, I was curious, so I asked, and they said they quit. They were a hard-working and sociable person.”

I turned the car to the right.

“Oh… I feel a little uneasy. Even though I apologized.”

“That’s how it always is. I was a little nervous every time I went to the cafe after that day… If I think selfishly, it might be a good thing.”

“To be honest, I feel the same way. I don’t know if it’s right to think this way.”

“Humans are selfish. It’s natural to have such thoughts.”

Nodding to myself, I said.

“They were such a hard-working person. They’ll be able to do well somewhere else.”

“I hope so. I hope they recover quickly and return to their daily life.”

I stepped on the accelerator slightly to increase the speed, and the car soon arrived in front of her house.

“Okay~ We’re here.”

I said, looking at the passenger seat.

“Thank you every time.”

“It’s nothing. I can do this much for you.”

Joking around, I pressed the button, and the passenger seat door clicked open.

“Can you do morning workouts tomorrow?”

“Ah… I have some banking to do tomorrow morning. I can only do evening workouts like today.”

“…You seem to be slacking off on your workouts lately.”

“Hey, I still lost weight. Go in quickly. There’s a car behind you.”

“Okay. Then please send me the diet plan.”

“Yes! I understand.”

Garam closed the door, and I waved goodbye and slowly pulled out.

While driving out of this most underdeveloped residential complex in the developed city, where even the streetlights were not properly lit, cold sweat ran down my back.

“Hoo…”

As soon as the car joined the bright main street, I was able to exhale the breath I had been holding back.

The tension that had been holding my whole body relaxed, and I almost stepped on the accelerator without realizing it.

As I expected, the sea-weed soup was hot.