episode_0103

***

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

Probably not, probably not.

I tried hypnotizing myself, but it didn’t help.

The Myeongseong Building that Hocheol took me to.

I swallowed my saliva as I looked up at the brightly lit sixth floor.

“I’ll just go in now. Good luck.”

Hocheol nodded and said hello as he trudged away.

“Ho….”

For a moment, I thought about catching Hocheol, who was heading back, but I quickly stopped.

Behind him as he walked away, the faces of Chonggwan, Maehwa, and Yeonhwa appeared blurry.

If I get help from Hocheol, I might be able to find an easier solution.

However, what if Hocheol is harmed as a result? It would be difficult for me to bear.

The last level of helplessly seeing other people’s sacrifice was enough.

I never wanted to feel that way again.

“Good.”

I don’t know what’s good, but I muttered that and went up.

A bright light shined down, and I opened an automatic door and looked inside.

Mr. Garam was working on something at his desk.

Maybe they’re sending out text messages about the center’s opening to the remaining members, or working on remodeling balance payments.

I didn’t go in right away, but looked at her.

A smiling face and always full of energy. This is the person I know, Mr. Garam.

Of course, she seemed anxious at times, but the lively first impression she gave me is still firmly embedded in my head.

Even if she’s plotting something behind my back, she shows a good side to me.

No, to be precise, I try to show only my good side.

If I hang out with her like this, pretending not to know anything, if I have the conscience to ignore the discomfort in my heart, her bright smile will welcome me.

To check if the maesaengiguk in front of me is hot, should I scoop it up with a spoon and put it in my mouth?

Even though I’m not yet sure what she did, I can see the future planned.

Haha, fuck.

And of course, fear rises like a haze.

The physical pain I would probably experience when I came face to face with her.

Money sleeping in my account that I have never seen in my life.

The fear inherent deep within humans continues to tempt us to follow nature.

But is that right?

No, the answer is fixed. I’m just not brave enough to put it into practice.

This courage will not be filled no matter how much time you spend.

“Huuuu…”

Take a deep breath.

Then, press the button to open the automatic door.

so I.

To prevent this cowardly fear from tempting me further, I decided to tackle it.

“Ah! Are you here?”

Mr. Garam jumps up and comes to me.

I smiled until my dimples showed and gave her a high five.

“Hehe, you came early today.”

At some point, she wrapped her arms around me and pushed me towards the desk.

I did not resist that power, but obediently went where she wanted.

We set up a desk and faced each other.

She took out a chart, checked the changes in her body, and introduced today’s exercise program.

“I’ll run for about 5 minutes to warm up.”

I nodded obediently to her words, changed my clothes in the locker room, and got on the treadmill.

It runs at a speed of 7.0 km/h.

Five minutes had passed, and when my body was starting to feel moderately warm, Mr. Garam stood behind me.

“Okay, let’s start exercising.”

Today is lower body exercise day.

My thighs are torn and I perform the sore lower body exercise course without any fuss.

Normally, I would have lied down and said I couldn’t do it, but today I somehow feel energized.

“Oh! I hope your workout went well today?”

Mr. Garam must have felt the change in me, too, and gave his thumbs up while doing leg press for a while.

***

After the exercise, Garam and I finished cleaning up after the center and went home.

As usual, I bring her home in my car.

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

“I hope you exercise well these days and be careful about eating delivery food.”

“I always wonder, how do you know so much? Hiding it means hiding it.”

“You are so confident that I have nothing to say. This is all the trainer’s feeling. Hehehe!”

As I watched him hold the V shape to his face, I momentarily forgot about today’s unpleasantness and smiled.

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

As I entered her now familiar neighborhood, I answered the question that had been lingering in my mouth while exercising.

I ask as lightly as the spring breeze, as if it’s nothing special, as if I just remembered it now.

“Yes, I did. Thankfully, they understood. I also wondered why I did that at the time…”

She also takes it lightly. He even looks like he’s smiling awkwardly and blaming himself for the past.

Normally, this would be a situation where you should feel at ease, but my anxiety didn’t go away.

“I went to the cafe with Hocheol today, and a new employee came.”

“It looks like you changed the time zone.”

“No, I was curious so I asked and he said he quit. He was a good and friendly person.”

I turned the car to the right.

“This… I feel uncomfortable. Even though I apologized.”

“It’s all like that in the first place. From that day on, every time I went to a cafe, I noticed a little… If you think about it selfishly, it might be a good thing.”

“To be honest, I am like that too. I don’t know if it’s right to think like this.”

“Because humans are selfish. Naturally, you can’t help but feel that way.”

I said, nodding to myself.

“Because he was a very good worker. You can probably do well elsewhere.”

“Of course. I hope you get well soon and return to your daily life.”

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

“Well, we’ve arrived.”

I looked at the passenger seat and said.

“Thank you every time.”

“What? I can do this for you.”

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

“You can exercise in the morning tomorrow, right?”

“Ah… I have to do some banking tomorrow morning. I think I can only exercise in the evening like today.”

“……You seem to be neglecting exercise these days.”

“Ah, you still lost weight. Come on in. A car is coming behind you.”

“Yes. Then, please be sure to send me the menu.”

“Yes! Okay.”

Mr. Garam closed the door, and I waved my hand and slowly got out.

As I drove out of this most underdeveloped residential complex in a developed city, where even the streetlights were not properly lit, cold sweat broke out on my back.

“Phew…”

Eventually, as the car merged onto the bright street, I was able to let out the breath I had been holding.

The tension that had been constricting my entire body was relieved, and I almost stepped on the accelerator without realizing it.

As I expected, the maesaengiguk was hot.