336. Fate (1)

After that day, I wouldn’t see the man named Park Chang-ho at my gym-

“…Hello.”

“Oh, hey.”

Joo-hyuk sat down.

He didn’t show up the very next day, but he came back normally the day after that, and he didn’t exactly run his mouth.

He could have let his anger over the shitty thing that happened fester and spread rumors everywhere, but it looked like he was too scared to escalate things that much.

I can’t really blame him.

He’s pretty tall and well-built, so bringing up what happened last time would be humiliating for him. Honestly, if I went through something similar, I’d probably keep my mouth shut forever. After all, blabbing about it would just make him look like an idiot.

And since I had no reason to make a fuss unless he touched my girl, I planned to leave him be until the year ended.

However, the part-timer staring intently at me from the front desk seemed to think otherwise.

“…Hey, Boss-nim, can’t you fire that guy?”

“What crime did he commit to be fired?”

“What crime, you ask? You were going to fire me for ditching work to go have fun!”

“You’re a part-timer, and he’s technically a full-time employee, you know? I can’t fire him before his contract is up.”

“Hmm…”

Soo-ah… well. It’s awkward to say, but she gets a bit wilder every time we sleep together. To put it nicely, she gets comfortable and closer, but to put it crudely, she acts like a horny dog wagging its tail furiously. If those two end up getting pregnant, Haeun won’t be able to handle it alone, so it wouldn’t hurt if they got along better.

…But honestly, it feels like we’re walking a fine line. If my senior finds out I’m screwing around with her, let alone any other woman, what the hell will he say-

“Hey, Joo-hyuk! Don’t you even contact your senior first?”

“Ah, Senior-nim.”

“…It’s Uncle.”

…Speak of the devil, just as I was chatting with Soo-ah, Hwang Sunbae-nim showed up at the store. Of course, it wasn’t some incredible coincidence; that Senior-nim had mentioned he’d drop by when he had time. After all, he funded at least a third of the cost to open this gym.

…What the hell am I doing to the nephew of the man who even lent me money to help me settle down with my girlfriend.

“The store’s doing well. Anything new? Is your wife doing okay?”

“Ah, yes. Well. She’s fine.”

I had assumed I wouldn’t be able to meet his eyes when I saw him, but thanks to my increasingly thick skin, I managed a smile without awkwardness. Then again, he’s not the only one I’m deceiving. There’s Jia’s agency director I met a few times, her fans, Haeun’s subscribers, and plenty of people who’d throw rocks at me if they knew.

But unlike me, who’s become numb from accumulating so much bad karma.

“… .”

As soon as Soo-ah saw her uncle, she started sweating profusely, her whole body trembling.

…Well, her uncle got her a part-time job at a friend’s gym to earn some pocket money, and here she is, having an affair with a guy who’s planning to marry his girlfriend.

“Sigh, my dear niece. Why are you trembling so much? You were chatting away with him earlier.”

“Ahaha…”

“Hey, do I look scary today?”

“Well, Senior-nim, you always do.”

“…Damn it, if you weren’t so tall, I’d punch you. Sigh.”

I figured things would get complicated the moment the shivering Soo-ah opened her mouth, so I did my best to keep smiling and draw the Senior-nim’s attention to me. Fortunately, perhaps because Sunbae-nim didn’t suspect ‘that’ kind of thing, he ruffled his niece’s hair, laughed like an uncle, dug into his wallet, and handed Soo-ah some pocket money.

“Here. Uncle doesn’t have anything else to give, so just make sure you eat well.”

“Ah, thank you…”

“Look at her eyes change now that she’s got money. Joo-hyuk, our niece isn’t any good at her job, is she?”

“No, she’s great. Sales would drop without her.”

“Really? …Ah, right. My niece is pretty. Still, it’s good you’re here, Joo-hyuk. She can’t just let anyone get close, right?”

“Ah, ahahaha…, R-right. Boss-nim protects me a lot…”

…Actually, I did take that precious niece’s virginity, cummed inside her without protection, made her take the morning-after pill, took her for a walk in the park on a leash, fucked her like a dog leaning against a tree, then laid her down in the bushes and gnawed on her while taking pictures, but… Regardless, it’s true I protected her from other trainers and members, so I could smile brightly without a guilty conscience.

…Maybe it’s because I hear the word ‘scumbag’ so often, but I really feel like one now.

“Anyway, I’m heading out. Let’s grab a meal sometime before the year ends.”

“Yes.”

“Soo-ah, you work hard too. You won’t find a better part-time job than this.”

“Yeees…”

As soon as Sunbae-nim finally left the store, we could feel our bristling hairs settle down as we let out long sighs of relief.

…If that guy finds out, I’m really screwed, this isn’t easy. Of course, he probably won’t find out unless something major happens-

“…Why?”

“…I can’t get up.”

But unlike me, who only felt a slight chill, Soo-ah had collapsed onto the floor, gasping for breath.

…Is this really something to be that scared about? I was taken aback because the girl who was fine having sex outside or even bringing someone she knew into the next room was suddenly acting like this. I figured I should help her up first, so I slid my hands under her armpits and lifted her up.

“Haa…”

“Are you okay?”

“…Yes, a little.”

She leaned into my embrace and slowly caught her breath, finally calming down.

…Although, the occasional glances from passing trainers and members were a bit bothersome. This much is fine. If you think about it, I’m like an uncle figure too, so it shouldn’t be a big problem.

“Was your uncle that scary?”

“…Who do you think?”

“Hey, keep it down. Speak quietly.”

“The cum you left in the motel last time is still leaking out… You act like it’s no big deal, like you’re fine.”

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry.”

It was such a terrifying conversation that anyone overhearing it would be shocked, maybe even call Haeun immediately, so I could slightly understand Soo-ah’s trembling. But I couldn’t fully understand it.

…Honestly, no matter how badly I behaved, there was no one to scold me. Even the Senior-nim who just left would be disappointed and cut ties, not scold me harshly. So, while I could guess why she was trembling, I couldn’t truly empathize.

“If my uncle finds out, and my dad and mom hear about it, I’m seriously fucked… Sigh. Please, can’t you warn me beforehand when you know my uncle is coming?”

“I don’t know exactly when he’ll come either. He just happened to be nearby today and stopped by.”

I had never considered what would happen if my parents found out I had sex with the ‘part-time manager who has a girlfriend he’s promised marriage to’. In the first place, I had no experience with relationships that couldn’t be severed even if we disappointed each other. I hadn’t contacted my uncle since becoming an adult either. Same goes for my cousins. It was natural and rational to cut ties when disappointed by someone.

“…In that case, I’d rather quit my job.”

“Hey, that’s not it.”

“You were going to fire me first last time anyway! …If you don’t want to fire me now, please, just stop my uncle from coming here.”

“…I’ll try.”

So, Soo-ah, trembling and leaning into my embrace like this, felt heavy today.

…Before I knew it.

I seemed to have formed many relationships that couldn’t be severed, no matter what happened.

**

Today, there was no one beside me. Not Hinami, nor the other members.

…Without my brother-in-law either.

Time I had to endure alone.

“Yes, I’ll strike a pose. Yes, yes, lower your head just a bit. Perfect.”

Click.

My image was captured by the camera all day, recorded as a beautiful photoshoot. In a fresh and neat fashion, completely different from the clothes I wore in front of him. I acted as ‘Seo Jia’, more haughty and charismatic than anyone else.

“… .”

…Inside that ‘Seo Jia’, ‘Kang Joo-hyuk’ remained in abundance. I haven’t confirmed it yet, but I’m sure.

Carrying his seed, I was leaving another record. Not a secret only he and I could look into,

But a record that everyone in the world could unfold.

“Yes, perfect. You worked hard-“

“You worked hard.”

After finishing the last shot, I stepped out from under the blindingly bright lights and walked towards the half-out-of-it manager. Unlike the previous manager, this Manager-nim is very indifferent towards me and a good driver. But even this person, wouldn’t he be shocked if he found out what I’m secretly doing behind his back?

“Ah, Jia-ssi. Drink, drink, drink some water.”

“Thank you.”

Even this man, who snapped to attention and handed me a water bottle the moment he sensed my presence, wouldn’t he look at me with lustful eyes the moment he saw the ‘record’ I left with my brother-in-law? It’s hard to dismiss all that as paranoia; I’ve already crossed too many lines.

…The moment they find out I’ve ‘gotten pregnant’.

Even this beautiful photoshoot would surely be used for lewd purposes. They’d say it’s a photoshoot taken around the time ‘Seo Jia’ got pregnant.

…That she was full of semen behind the soft fabric, in her lower belly.

They’d defile me.

That… is so terrifying.

I wanted to lean on someone.

…On him,

Before the concert tomorrow.

Even just for a moment.

Now,

Because no matter how much I disliked it, it was a bond I couldn’t break.