episode_0065

It was while driving straight home that I heard my stomach growl.

– Gurgle

It felt like I had just eaten breakfast not too long ago, but my stomach was already rumbling. Checking the time, it was almost 11:30. Lunchtime was approaching.

“What’s going on? When did time fly by like this?”

It seemed like I had spent more time at the welfare center than I thought.

No, it was more like my stomach had been growling faster than usual these past few days.

But there was a reason for that.

It was the day after returning from a trip, on a Monday evening.

It was the story of when I went for a PT session after a long time.

“Oh… it seems like you indulged a lot during your vacation.”

Teacher Yeong-soo sighed as he looked at the InBody numbers on the computer screen.

“Ahaha… well… yes. I’m sorry.”

But with so much delicious food at the breakfast buffet, the lavish dinner buffet… how could I resist? Of course, it didn’t mean I was proud of it.

“Well… even though your body type doesn’t seem to be too bad, and your metabolism is higher than expected, so far it’s still within the acceptable range… but if you want to take a body profile, you need to tighten up a bit, you know?”

That’s right. Even though my skeletal muscle mass and body fat percentage were within the range of an average person, the reason I was combining dieting with exercise was to take a body profile.

Suddenly, what’s a body profile? Well, it’s all about money.

It must have been about two weeks since I started working out.

I remember that the fitness center I go to is a branch of a slightly famous fitness brand in the area, as mentioned before.

The CEO of that brand had visited this branch before.

At that time, the CEO saw me and asked Teacher Yeong-soo who I was.

“Trainer Kwon Yeong-soo. Who is that person?”

“Oh, him? He’s a member who is currently receiving PT from me. Sir.”

“Is that so? Hm… can I talk to him for a moment?”

“Yes? Why do you want to…?”

“Oh, I’ll explain the reason myself, but can you ask him for me?”

“Yes. I understand…”

As usual, after finishing the workout, showering, and leaving the locker room, Teacher Yeong-soo suddenly called me.

“Member Jeong Do-yeon!”

“Yes?”

“Can you spare a moment of your time?”

“Oh… yes. But what is this about?”

“It’s just that our CEO wanted to meet you for a moment. He has something to say.”

“Yes? What does he want to say?”

“I’m not sure either… anyway, could you spare some time?”

Saying that, Teacher Yeong-soo looked in the direction he pointed to, and there was a well-built person in his late thirties? early forties? standing there.

When our eyes met, he nodded and greeted me, and I returned the greeting.

“Oh… yes. That’s right. Would Dayoung and Davin go home first?”

“Huh? Why? We’ll wait. Teacher Yeong-soo, is it going to be a long conversation?”

Dayoung asked Teacher Yeong-soo, but he also nodded without saying anything.

“Hm… I’m not sure either. Anyway, just in case, it might be better for you to go home first.”

“Yes, sister. Let’s listen to mom and go home first.”

“Okay, then. Mom, you have to tell me what you talked about later!”

So, after sending the kids home first, I followed the guidance of Teacher Yeong-soo and ended up having a conversation with the person who turned out to be the CEO.

“Yes? A model?”

The CEO’s sudden proposal. He wanted me to become a model for the fitness brand.

“SP. How about being a model for our center’s promotional materials? We’ll provide full PT for free, and also support you with a reasonable model fee.”

“Uh… so, like, a body profile? Is that what I’ll be shooting?”

“That’s right. We have a studio that has an exclusive contract with our center. If you accept, you will be shooting there.”

I didn’t know much about it, but the offer of free PT sessions caught my attention.

I would continue exercising whether I accepted the offer or not, and the planned PT period would only last 3 to 4 months at most. I had expected to accumulate enough knowledge to be able to exercise on my own by then.

During that period, if I could build my body enough to take photos for a beach profile, I thought I could stop the PT sessions and continue with self-directed exercise without needing the support of a personal trainer.

“By the way, are you aware that I am 39 years old?”

Despite having the physical age of someone in their 20s, it was better to appear as young as possible for promotional models like me. It was important to be clear about such matters to avoid any future complications.

To this, the CEO chuckled and replied, “Jung Doyeon, you are quite honest. Yes, I am aware. I heard from Trainer Kwon Youngsoo earlier. And we actually prefer it. If we promote that ‘even people in their 30s and 40s can achieve this kind of body,’ wouldn’t the promotional effect be even better? Young people already have a culture of self-improvement without needing much promotion, but our generation, even though we know, we tend not to do it, right? It’s a clear motivation for us.”

I realized that this could be a marketing strategy. Indeed, as a business owner running several fitness centers, it was not common to think in such a way.

“Also, I heard that your daughter was exercising with you. It wouldn’t be a bad idea for your daughter to model as well. If the culture of bodybuilding spreads to young people, it would benefit us even more.”

“I think I should ask my daughter first before giving you an answer, so I’m not sure about responding right now.”

“Haha, of course, I don’t expect an immediate answer. I’m just suggesting that you think about it. Please take your time to respond.”

With that, the CEO handed me his business card. After receiving it and exchanging brief greetings, I went home and shared the details with Dayoung.

“Oh? Really? Well, it’s understandable that they would think of Mom’s figure. Hmm… Do I really have to do it?”

“No, if it’s too much trouble, you don’t have to do it.”

“Then I won’t do it.”

So, I decided to do it alone, and from then on, I had to consult with Teacher Yeongsu to set new goals and routines for my exercise.

And from then on, everything from my diet to my sleep and wake-up times had to be reported.

Anyway, due to these circumstances, I decided to take body profile photos and focus on managing myself. Even though I indulged a bit during my vacation… I still managed to restrain myself a bit.

“Well… it’s better this way. Let’s just increase the intensity of our workouts this time. If my skeletal muscle mass is at this level, it’s true that the intensity has been low so far.”

What… what did you say? That was low?

Surprisingly, Teacher Yeongsu’s words were true. If I had been focusing on basic exercises, mainly full-body exercises for core muscle development, now I was also incorporating weight training using equipment.

As a result, I keenly felt how lenient my previous workout routine had been.

“Haah, haa!”

“Okay, one more!”

By the tenth repetition, the repeated “one more!” sounded like it would drive me crazy.

“Huff!”

“Oh, great form! One more! Last one!”

“Ugh! I can’t do it anymore! Just kill me instead!”

Watching me with a look of disgust, Dayoung muttered quietly, “You did well not to do it. You’re really pushing me to the limit with these tough workouts.”

It was already the fourth day. Even now, my body was filled with soreness, and every movement caused a slight cramp.

“Hmm, did I say today was leg day? Ugh… I really don’t feel like going. Why did I even decide to become a model?”

It’s all about the money. Money.

*Sigh.*

Since increasing the intensity of my workouts, I’ve been feeling hungrier than usual. With muscle soreness kicking in, I felt too lazy to go home and cook, so I decided to just grab a meal while I was out and about.

However, I couldn’t find any appealing restaurants nearby, and driving around aimlessly was risky. So, I headed towards the bustling streets, parked my car somewhere safe, and searched for a restaurant where I could grab a meal.

“Oh, that place over there serves delicious set meals.”

As I was about to head towards a restaurant I had dined at a few times before, a sudden realization struck me.

“Ma’am, you really shouldn’t just eat anything. If you keep breaking your promises, not only will you get scolded by the owner, but I will too. So please, before you decide what to eat, think about it and choose your meal carefully.”

“Oh… okay. But if we have to eat out, what should we order?”

“Can’t you just stick to the diet plan?”

“Well, sometimes there are unavoidable circumstances.”

“Hmm… I guess that’s true. In that case, if such a situation arises, please let me know in advance. Or you could just grab a Subway sandwich….”

“Oh…”

Subway, a famous sandwich franchise. I haven’t personally tried it, but my ex-wife used to buy it when she didn’t feel like cooking, and I’ve had it a few times at work as a quick meal option.

“If possible, go for the honey oat bread. I recommend having it with just olive oil, salt, and pepper as the sauce.”

“Okay…”

And there I was, torn between the traditional Korean restaurant next to me and Subway.

After a moment of inner conflict, I finally made a decision and confidently started walking towards Subway.