003. Reunion (3)

The most important thing when talking is the topic.

Even with my pathetic English skills, if the topic was right, I could chat with my Dominican mercenary friends for one hour, two hours straight.

“Ah, hello. Seo Haeun-ssi. We meet again today. Is it the third day?”

“Haaa…”

“Whether you like me or not doesn’t matter, but sighing openly in front of someone… isn’t that a bit much?”

“Then I’ll say it openly. You’re annoying, really.”

Even with someone who openly dislikes me, it’s not difficult to continue a conversation as long as there’s a reason and a common topic.

It’s not a situation embarrassing enough to make me grow thick skin.

Honestly, I don’t give a damn how that woman looks at me right now.

While first impressions are crucial for gaining favor, difficult situations have their own unique flavor.

I like receiving cheers from people who hate me.

“Don’t just say you’re annoyed, when are you going to give me that autograph you promised?”

“She’s busy. She’s not someone who has free time to spare whenever.”

“Ah, that’s true. It is indeed a busy time for her.”

In that sense, not getting the autograph today was actually a benefit.

I wasn’t planning on leaving just because I got an autograph I don’t even need, but it makes growing thick skin a bit easier.

If she completely ignored me, there’d be nothing I could do, but unfortunately, Seo Haeun isn’t the type of person who handles things well.

Rather, she’s the type who doesn’t know how to avoid a fight once it starts.

“I have nothing to talk about with you today, so get lost. Please. And didn’t I tell you not to talk to me?”

“You’re not going to use that as an excuse to pretend this never happened, are you?”

“Ah, seriously, you’re noisy.”

Muttering softly as if finding me pathetic, the more I looked into her eyes staring at me, the more her combativeness resonated within my chest.

Even reactions of disgust or contempt like that are better than indifference.

Answering means she’s willing to engage, as long as I don’t cross the line.

This woman only knows how to spit on a smiling face, completely unaware that one can simply choose not to look at it in the first place.

Whether you like them or not, there’s no one easier to get close to than someone who answers consistently whenever you talk to them.

“Don’t just get angry, can you perhaps tell me when I might be able to receive it?”

“⋯I’ll give it to you when I have time, so please, don’t talk to me first, and don’t pay any attention to me. Because it’s annoying.”

“Wh-when is that time? If you suddenly stop coming to the gym, I don’t even have your contact information.”

“Even if you say things like that, I have no intention of giving you my number, so wake up from your dream.”

“I don’t plan on getting your number either! Ah, if you’re bothered, let’s do this. Stick out your hand.”

“What is it?”

“Give me your hand. Quickly.”

“⋯Why?”

“Take it.”

See, she easily offers her hand like this.

Of course, if I actually grabbed her hand here, she’d probably freak out and scream, but she wouldn’t react that way to me just placing a business card in her palm.

“I made this back when I was a player, so I don’t really have a use for it, but you see my phone number written here, right? If you’re going to give me the autograph, give me a call. I won’t talk to you normally, though.”

“⋯I don’t need it. We can just talk here.”

“Yes, yes. Understood. Take the card just in case. I might not be able to come out, you know? Because of my condition.”

“⋯.”

The way to keep someone waiting for me to cross the line decisively and get pushed away is not to distance myself because it’s dangerous, but to walk a tightrope on the line itself.

The intention to push away if I cross the line means that when I’m hovering near the line, she’s focused on me.

The more we focus on each other, the closer the physical distance becomes.

And 100 out of 100 times, when bodies get closer, hearts do too.

If you don’t want hearts to get closer, you should distance your body from the start.

But this woman, despite disliking me, isn’t physically pushing me away out of some unnecessary competitive spirit.

She probably believes nothing can happen to her with a guy like me.

But who knows.

Seeing her glare at me so fiercely,

It certainly feels like something will happen.

---

There’s a subtle difference between a liar and a con artist.

A liar is someone who lies often,

while a con artist is someone who lies well. That’s the difference.

Surprisingly, con artists don’t lie that often.

They even keep their promises.

Until they commit the con.

“⋯.”

March 7th.

It’s been 7 days since I reunited with Seo Haeun.

Unfortunately, I hadn’t received any contact, but she came to the gym punctually every day.

I, too, kept my promise to her and didn’t speak a single word.

Anyway, just running into each other at the same time every day is enough to put pressure on her.

Communication isn’t always done through conversation.

Personally, I’ve found that communication through the eyes lets you notice much more.

As I stared at her each day with increasingly menacing eyes, she would try to let out considerable fear, swallow it down, and then run confidently on the treadmill.

“Hoo…”

Words aren’t exchanged, but our bodies are close.

When we’re aware of each other at the same time every day, she can’t forget me, at least.

Even the promise was something she mentioned first, not me.

Just because I glare at her a bit fiercely, she has no justification to reject my gaze.

“Ah, my shoulder. Shit…”

Waiting for the moment she looks at me, pressured by my gaze, I roll up my t-shirt sleeve and fidget with my left shoulder.

My shoulder, with its clearly visible surgical scars, is in tatters.

Every time I see it, I wonder how it ended up in this state in just one year.

“Ssk, haa…”

After feigning pain and taking short breaths a few times, I pretend it’s unbearable and start packing my gym bag.

I don’t even glance her way, so I can’t tell if she’s still watching me.

But I’m certain she is watching.

Whether Seo Haeun is human or a demon, it’s impossible for her not to care.

“This isn’t working, fuck. Hoo…”

Muttering a curse under my breath, I grab my shoulder and leave the gym.

I ponder in my head how many days I should wait for the timing to be right.

If I rest too long, our bodies will drift apart, X.

If I rest too short, there’s not much to gain.

Maybe resting for about 5 days would be just right.

Is that too long?

Well…

Unless a dog stops eating shit,

It certainly won’t be too short.

---

March 10th.

I think waiting about 3 days is a considerable amount of time.

During that time, just in case, I asked around among athletes I knew, but unfortunately, I couldn’t get any useful information about Seo Haeun.

Wouldn’t there be something if she worked at the club for that long?

After the rumors about the Director’s daughter spread, no one could find out anything, except that everyone started acting cautiously.

I even searched her name, but it seemed she didn’t use social media.

It would have been great if her phone had at least buzzed.

With regret, I step into the gym.

Looking inside, she was, as expected, walking in the same spot.

Her outfit was almost the same, but the difference was she wore an outer layer over her tank top.

“…Ah.”

She shook her head while dripping sweat, then let out a small gasp upon spotting me.

…It seems the timing isn’t bad after all.

If someone had witnessed it, it would have been troublesome to handle, especially since we aren’t really close.

“Hello.”

“…Ah, yes.”

I greeted her confidently, but seeing her accept it with a reluctant tone, her attitude had definitely changed.

The reason is obvious.

Just looking at her glancing around the place teeming with male hormones while responding favorably to me is enough to tell.

“What happened? Why are you looking around so much?”

“Ah, well…”

“Did a trainer try to lure you into getting PT?”

“…How did you know?”

Naturally, the moment someone with that body and dressed like that hangs around a gym, guys like me hit on them.

Especially if it’s a PT trainer who can legally make a move, it’s 100%.

If it were just moderately attractive, maybe, but considering this woman’s chest, they would have definitely tried to woo her with all sorts of flowery language the moment I disappeared.

Until now, they couldn’t approach because I was bothering her.

“That happens all the time. Still, I haven’t heard of them digging up member addresses or contact info yet.”

“…”

I instill even more anxiety into her, who was already annoyed.

This won’t increase my likeability, but it can lower my relative unlikability.

The reason I don’t hate this woman that much is similar.

If I had to choose, I hate the Director and the Manager more; Seo Haeun is at least something to look at.

If I had coincidentally met the Director, I would have changed gyms immediately because I’d find it shitty.

Anyway, that person isn’t someone I can mess with.

“That person doesn’t teach exercise well, so don’t take it. That kind of thing.”

“…I don’t take that kind of thing even without your advice.”

“It’s better to ask other people. Looking at your body, it’s obvious. People who seem knowledgeable about exercise.”

“I don’t intend to exercise seriously, so don’t worry about it.”

“For me, if I don’t exercise seriously, my body hurts a bit.”

Of course, unlike him, this seemingly inept woman was too easy prey to mess with.

Taking off her outer layer, she naturally stretches, showing me the scar on her shoulder.

Showing this should be enough; there’s no need to explain why I rested for three days, and she wouldn’t ask anyway.

Lying unnecessarily could cause trouble later.

If you let them misunderstand on their own, they’ll naturally become solemn.

This means she can’t push me away forcefully like a few days ago.

Even if she pushes me away, it’ll only lead to worse guys hitting on her.

“Well, that’s that. …I thought you’d contact me, but you didn’t.”

“Huh?”

“I wondered if you weren’t keeping your promise.”

“…Ah. I did take it down. I intended to give it to you when you came. I forgot.”

“That’s too much. I was looking forward to when I’d get the autograph while you were resting.”

“Ah, sorry…? …No, I’m not sorry, but do you want it now?”

“I didn’t bring my bag today. I only planned to warm up briefly. Can’t you give it to me on your way back?”

Seizing the opportunity, I shrug my empty hands towards her as she rummages through her bag, making a subtle appeal.

Bringing up those unsettling remarks earlier was also part of the strategy.

Normally, this line would never work, but since she’s upgraded from the worst to the second-worst option, it probably sounds somewhat reasonable.

It would have been more effective if she exercised at night…

But oh well.

We can just have dinner together sometime.