episode_0027

“Heak, heak.”

Dabin seemed exhausted as she sat down on the floor as if she couldn’t go on. If it were just a regular game, they could have proceeded slowly, but with the pretext of a competition looming, they exercised until their breaths were ragged.

It started out as fun, but seeing them run as if their lives depended on it, it seemed like the competitive spirit was no joke. It made one wonder who they were resembling.

“Seungyoon, don’t push yourself too hard. We’re just here to have fun, right?”

Dayoung said to Seungyoon, who had joined the same team. Seungyoon nodded at her words, but really… being on the same team as a streamer or broadcaster he liked, starting off running like that from the beginning, could she just stand by and watch?

But no sooner had Dabin handed over the straps and controllers than Seungyoon started the game and ran like a maniac. She moved so intensely that one might think noise complaints would come from downstairs soon.

“Hey! I said don’t push yourself too hard!”

However, Seungyoon paid no heed and vigorously moved her feet. In just 5 minutes, she had already passed more than half of the course and was still running.

Ah, youth does have exceptional stamina. While I’ve aged over ten years physically, transitioning from male to female made it hard for me to feel the increased stamina. I may sense an improvement in stamina, but in terms of muscle strength, I’ve certainly weakened.

– Raising your thighs high makes climbing stairs easier!

“Heak, heak.”

Something… I don’t know, but that narration has been annoying since earlier.

– Reach out more energetically!

– Alright!

Not alright!

It’s fine when Seungyoon does it, but if I were doing it, I’d really get annoyed. Of course, I’ll have to do it soon too.

Dabin’s record, created with all her might, was 8 minutes and 22 seconds. Seungyoon cleared the stage in a faster 8 minutes and 12 seconds. Although Dabin’s competitive spirit stiffened at this, it felt admirable to see her trying not to show it intentionally.

“Now, shall we make a bet with my mom?”

Dayoung sent me a somehow provocative look. But I am an adult. I won’t fall for such low-level provocations…

“The winning team fulfills the loser’s wish within reasonable limits.”

Dayoung, who is clearly much weaker in stamina than me, casually challenges me. And with quite an abstract content.

“Are you confident?”

“Of course. I’m a master of this game.”

Seungyoon mentioned earlier that Dayoung is good at games. However, Ring Fit is a game where records are set through physical exercise. So, how can Dayoung beat me when she easily gets tired and drops out after doing exercises of lower intensity than me?

“Haha, you’ll see. Shall Mom go first?”

I don’t know what trick she’s planning, but now that things have come to this, I must do my best to achieve victory.

“Sure. Got it. Let me show you Mom’s exercise skills.”

After receiving the straps and controller from Seungyoon and putting them on, I started the stage.

Having watched the two in front of me, I could play the game without difficulty.

“Hoo, hoo.”

The course where I ran first. Instead of running with short steps, I lifted my legs high and crossed them swiftly, rolling my feet.

– Boing, boing.

Even though I deliberately wore a sports bra for exercising, the shaking of my chest didn’t stop as I moved intensely.

But ignoring that, I focused on the screen and moved my feet diligently.

“Oh, Mom. Aren’t you pushing yourself too hard?”

Dabin tried to dissuade me, but my competitive spirit was already ignited.

“Ha, it’s okay, ha. Dabin.”

About 4 minutes in, I encountered a monster for the first time.

An exercise battle that begins with encountering monsters. Despite thinking it’s a truly bizarre concept, the game is strangely addictive, making me continue playing. I thought it might be a successful game because it provides interest in exercise and keeps you going.

A monster appeared, and instructions on selecting a fit skill to attack the monster on the confrontation screen were given. Wondering which exercise would be good, I listened to Davin’s advice and chose to do seated knee pulls.

Then I immediately sat down, leaned back diagonally with my hands behind me, and performed the movement.

“Phew, hoo~ Phew, hoo~”

Each time I pulled my thighs, my chest felt constricted, making it a bit hard to breathe.

“Phew, hoo~”

My PT trainer, Yeong-soo, said that breathing is crucial for all exercises. So, I inhaled as I pushed my legs out and exhaled as I pulled them in, managing my breath.

After finishing one set, when the monster’s attack came, I grabbed the ringcon, pressed it against my abdomen for defense, and then searched for the next move. Lately, during PT sessions, I often do that move. I chose to do the plank. This prompted Davin to let out a somewhat regretful sigh.

“Oh… That move is difficult.”

“Huh? What’s so hard about the plank…?”

Davin pointed at the screen and said, “It’s not the plank, it’s the plank hip lift.”

“Oh.”

In this challenging position, not only did I have to hold it but also lift my hips. It was not just physically demanding but also somewhat embarrassing.

Since there was no function to skip what I had already chosen, I reluctantly assumed the plank position, tears welling up.

“Ugh!”

-Good! Good!

Not good!

-Ouch~

“Huff!”

I couldn’t see the game screen in the plank position, so I relied on sound cues to perform the exercise.

-Plop!

“Uhh!”

With each lift and drop of my hips, my abdomen felt like it was being squeezed, causing me to groan involuntarily.

-Ouch~ Plop! Ouch~ Plop!

“Ugh, uhh! Ugh, uhh!”

“Mom, how can we deal with that noise!”

Despite hearing Dayoung’s words, I tried to endure the strange sounds that came out every time my abdomen dropped.

-Ouch~ Plop!

“Uhh!”

As my strength waned, the sounds escaped more easily. Additionally, as I lowered my hips, it felt precarious, as if my chest was about to touch the ground.

-Okay! Keep guarding your abs!

Fortunately, the exercise ended before I completely collapsed. Exhausted from just that one move, I struggled to get up and performed the ab guard.

“Uhh! Ohh!”

Following Davin’s advice in the subsequent movements, focusing on easier exercises, I managed to defeat a party of monsters. However, did I push too hard in the squat hip lifts?

After that, feeling drained of energy, barely lifting my feet, I almost felt like giving up when faced with a course involving stairs.

Regardless of the difficulty, I pressed on, driven by the determination not to give up. Eventually, after facing two more parties of monsters and clearing them with a focus on easier movements, I could see the finish line.

“We’re at the finish line!”

Forgetting that I was the oldest among us, I simply cheered in joy.

-Gather your strength~

Following the relentless narration throughout, I lowered my hips into a squat position.

“Hiyah! Hyaah!”

Due to the strain, my lower back began to ache as if it would snap.

-Extend your whole body!

Gathering the last of my strength, I straightened my body.

-Victory!

“Victory!”

Unknowingly, I got deeply immersed in the game and shouted “Victory!” loudly, reveling in the sense of accomplishment of completing the stage.

“Heave-ho, heave-ho. Oh, it’s tough.”

I threw my exhausted body onto the sofa and lay down, grazing Davin’s thigh, who was on the same team.

“Oh, Davin. I’m dying.”

“Mom, stop it!”

Watching Davin slowly pull back his thigh.

-Thud!

I grabbed the thigh that was moving back and forced my head up towards the waist from the thigh.

“Oh, Mom, it’s hard. Just a little more.”

“Ugh! Oh, really!”

Was it because I didn’t like sweat on my clothes? Despite wanting to pull away from the excessive resistance, I had no energy. It felt somehow frustrating to be so drained by this kids’ game.

“Now, is it my turn?”

Dayoung stood up energetically and shouted. Then she reached out her hand as if asking me to unstrap her, but…

“Mom, I have no strength right now. Can you do it yourself?”

Then I offered Dayoung my right leg with the strap still on.

With a sly smile, she reached for the strap with her hand. Feeling uneasy, I tried to grab Dayoung’s hand quickly, but her hand dug into my thigh faster than I could react.

“Wait, wait. Let me… Eek!”

As she swept the flesh down from the inside of the thigh, pulling the strap all the way down to the calf, the sensation sent shivers down my spine rapidly reaching the frontal lobe.

“Hey, hey! Did you do that on purpose?”

Dayoung smirked mischievously.

“Huh? What?”

I replied, trying to act tough, describing a scene from a drama I’ve been enjoying lately.

“Do you have evidence to support that?”

Wow, shameless. She’s shameless beyond belief, but since she’s family, I endure it.