How Many Kilograms of Dumbbells Have You Lifted? -3

“The moon is bright. Hana’s face seems to fit right into the moon.”

“Hana, your brother is already forty. It’s time to start thinking about marriage.”

“Hana, I’m telling you, just bring yourself! I’ve prepared everything.”

“Are you worried about my age? I may be old, but my body is still in its early thirties, okay?”

“Aaaaaaaah, stop! Stop it!!!!”

Unable to endure any longer, I banged my head against the desk.

“Why this body this time!! You’re so good at possessing handsome, young bodies!!!”

“Fat? I don’t care! I can lose weight! Old? It’s okay. It happens.”

But.

“But this character is too much!! You pigeon bitch!!!”

I screamed at the Divine Doctor, who couldn’t even hear me.

Come to think of it, this situation seems even harder than when I was being dragged around by Namgoong Soyeon.

I spent thirty minutes in the study, yelling and screaming until my throat was raw.

Maybe it’s because I’m old, but I don’t have the strength to struggle anymore.

I rested my chin on the desk, trying to cool down.

“Let’s just die.”

The words that came out after a long thought were simple.

“Live as someone with this kind of embarrassing past? Absolutely not. Absolutely not…”

But my true self, living somewhere deep inside, spoke up.

–

But, you’re a building owner?

–

You have money you’ve never even touched in your life?

–

You don’t have a job, just live the way you want.

A sweet, tempting voice, like the devil’s whisper.

From here on, it’s a balance game.

[Living as a pathetic 40-year-old building owner vs. Living as a handsome 20-30 year old]

“…Aish. The former, obviously….”

It’s unbalanced.

I can’t resist the temptation of being a building owner. And what’s the point of possessing a handsome man? I’ll just get stabbed and die.

Wouldn’t it be better to just live like this?

I’m tired of being pushed around and dying.

“Okay. Let’s think positively, positively.”

This embarrassing past, which seems like the only flaw, can be seen as not yet seriously progressed if you change your perspective.

After all, it’s just a middle-aged man’s one-sided pursuit, right? It doesn’t seem like the relationship has really developed.

Well, I’ve been rejected by women a lot in my original world too. So… I guess I can think of it as a similar experience?

The realization that things are no different now than they were before makes me even sadder.

Ah, let me wipe away some tears.

“Okay. Let’s end this bad life here! Let’s be reborn. We can be reborn. Come on, Kang In-ho, you can do it! Fighting!”

Let’s cut everything off.

Quit drinking, quit smoking, quit Broadcasting Jockeys.

That way, I can live a healthier life.

I have a lot of money, so let’s just live well here.

-Gurgle

As I made a firm resolution and jumped up from the desk, a loud noise came from my stomach.

“Ugh, I’m hungry.”

It doesn’t look like there’s anything to eat at home, so let’s go out.

And get rid of this hangover.

My first meal after the Dimensional Shift was sundae soup.

I don’t know how much I drank the night before, but my stomach felt empty and sore.

“Heueuheueuheueuheu.”

I scooped up a spoonful and put it in my mouth, then cooled it down because it was too hot.

They should give an award to the person who made this soup. It’s filling and cheap.

The feeling of being full and the savory taste of the broth on the tip of my tongue made me forget reality for a moment.

Yes, just for a moment.

-What does my age matter~ What does my age matter~

A very old ringtone rang from my phone. It’s my phone.

Ugh, I need to change it.

After briefly looking at the caller’s name, I swallowed the soup in my mouth.

“Hello.”

-Ah, Boss, I have something to tell you about the Myeongseong Building. Are you at home?

“Ah, I’m at a sundae soup restaurant near my house. Come here.”

-Yes, I’ll be there.

After ending the call, Yoo Ho-cheol soon arrived where I was.

In his mid-thirties. He treats me with respect and takes care of the small things in my business.

I don’t know exactly what our relationship is, but judging from the things we’ve exchanged, we’ve been together for quite a while.

In other words, he’s someone who’s been vetted to some extent.

A man with short, sporty hair sat down in front of me.

“What brings you to sundae soup?”

Ho-cheol asked, fanning his face with his hand.

“I had a bit of a hangover yesterday.”

I replied, scooping half a bowl of rice into the soup.

“Still, Boss, you used to say sundae soup smelled like pig and wouldn’t even look at it.”

Ho-cheol said, pouring water into his glass and gulping it down.

“I don’t know. Maybe my taste buds are changing as I get older.”

“Come on, Boss. You said you were still going strong. You said you were as good as a 20-year-old.”

Ho-cheol said with a friendly smile.

“Keep it down.”

Did I say that? Another embarrassing moment added to the list.

Ho-cheol started talking about the weather and the tenants these days, and I listened to him while eating.

But, did this guy eat?

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

I cut off Ho-cheol, who was talking about something, and asked.

“Did you eat?”

“Ah, no. Not yet.”

It was late for lunch. It was long past mealtime, and Ho-cheol’s stomach rumbled.

“Let’s eat together. I’ll buy.”

I couldn’t ignore the sound, so I offered.

“Yes? Together?”

Ho-cheol was startled by my words.

“Why? Did I say something strange?”

“No, it’s not that. It’s just that it’s been a while since I’ve had a meal from you, Boss. Haha.”

He scratched his cheek, embarrassed by his own words. I chuckled and replied.

“It’s not like sundae soup is that expensive. Excuse me! One more sundae soup, please.”

Soon, the soup came out, and Ho-cheol thanked me repeatedly, seemingly touched.

The previous me… was more stingy than I imagined.

He must have been very hungry, because he ate the soup without cooling it down. Before I knew it, the amount of soup he ate was similar to mine.

“Hey… isn’t it hot?”

“Hoo… hoo… this is nothing.”

He kept cooling it down as he spoke, but I don’t know if he’s okay.

Anyway, Ho-cheol ate the soup like he hadn’t eaten in ten years, and I was able to watch a one-person mukbang show right in front of me.

Wow… he’s shoving that hot stuff directly into his throat… humans are amazing.

After Ho-cheol’s energetic meal was over, I wiped my mouth with a tissue and said.

“You said you had something to talk about?”

“Yes. It’s about the 6th floor of the Myeongseong Building.”

Ho-cheol, who was patting his stomach with satisfaction, straightened his posture and said.

“The 6th floor of the Myeongseong Building?”

Uh… what about it?

When I made a blank expression, Ho-cheol explained, as if he expected it.

“That place where the deposit was all used up the month before last. The gym.”

It seems to be a common problem between landlord and tenant.

“And?”

“They couldn’t pay this month’s rent either. So I told them to clear out. But they begged and pleaded. They said they wanted to ask you for leniency.”

“Hmm… really? Has something like this happened before?”

“No. You’ve never been lenient before. You always said that we’re not digging up money from the ground.”

He said it so rudely.

I put the water in my glass in my mouth and tapped on my phone.

Let’s see… the location of the Myeongseong Building… it’s closer than I thought. It’s within walking distance from home.

“If the 6th floor is empty, is there anyone who wants to come in?”

“We’ll have to put it up. As you know, Boss, there’s not much traffic, so I don’t think it’ll be filled quickly.”

I was about to change my posture because my crossed legs were uncomfortable, but my heavy belly kept getting in the way.

“You know.”

“Yes.”

I said to Ho-cheol, keeping my eyes fixed on my phone.

“Let’s just leave it. The gym.”

“Huh? Why? When I looked, there was no one there. It was completely empty. I don’t think they’ll be able to pay the back rent even if we give them a few chances.”

“No, I’m not leaving it there for the money. I’m saying let’s leave it as a convenience facility.”

“A convenience facility?”

“Yeah. I’m thinking of working out. I’ve gained weight. It’d be nice to have a gym close to home.”

“Well, I guess that’s true. But wouldn’t it be better to register at a gym that’s a similar distance away?”

“Let’s just use what we have. There’s no need to go somewhere else when we have one in our building, right? Go ask them. Tell them I won’t charge rent for a while. Ask if they can train me. For free.”

“Uh… I’ll go talk to them. I think they’ll probably say okay.”

As I got up to pay for the meal, Ho-cheol nodded slowly and replied.

“Then I’ll go to the Myeongseong Building right now.”

“Okay, oh right! Go and package it well. Don’t say it in a rude way, like you’re going to give it to me for free.”

I wasn’t thick-faced enough to confidently say, “I won’t charge you rent, so train me.”

Instead, I asked Ho-cheol to package it well, and he patted his chest, telling me not to worry, and then quickly disappeared.

Garam Fitness Center.

Choi Garam, the owner of the center, looked bewildered when Ho-cheol, who had just left, revisited.

The sight of the empty center, in contrast to the exciting music, pricked her heart and made it ache.

She tied her hair, which was dyed yellow and almost completely faded, into a ponytail and sat down at her desk.

She was clinging to it as if it were a straw… Could it be that the building owner had shown leniency?

She kept thinking, “Don’t get your hopes up,” but the happiness circuit, once it started, wouldn’t stop.

Ho-cheol, with a friendly smile, came back with an answer to what she had said.

After listening to Ho-cheol’s explanation for a while, Garam tilted her head, wondering if she had heard correctly, and asked Ho-cheol again.

“Uh… first of all, thank you for granting my unreasonable request. But… is what you just said correct? That Boss? said…”

“Yes! Boss is very interested in Garam’s fitness center. He said he wants it to stay open as long as possible.”