Chapter 64
Anthropologists, sociologists, and mathematicians each had slightly different opinions, but what were the odds of finding your own aptitude without using P's Aptitude Test? Anyone with even a basic grasp of math would roughly come up with an equation like this:
1 / number of jobs × 100
The most crucial variable here was the 'number of jobs'—and that's where scholars diverged. Take teachers as an example. Kindergarten teacher, elementary school teacher, middle school teacher, high school teacher, college professor... Jobs were divided by the age of the students they taught. And then they were further subdivided by subject: physics, chemistry, biology, earth science, foreign languages, history, PE, art, music, math, Korean, ethics, home economics, tech... Just the combinations of student age and subject already exceeded a hundred possibilities.
In other words, even limiting it to teachers, the odds of discovering your aptitude were less than 1%! Factor in all other jobs, and the math led to one inescapable conclusion: without P's Aptitude Test, you'd never find it.
"How is this record even possible...!"
"Hah! This can't be real..."
"Is he even human...?"
Thanks to my marathon win, I'd scored a chance to test my records at the Player Village swimming pool. The results? Overwhelming. I couldn't beat the elite first-stringers—monsters whose aptitudes were swimming—but against any regular human, I was unbeatable. It felt like transferring from the bottom of a top university to dominate a second-tier one.
Not that I was thrilled.
"Any coaches here who can teach me other strokes?"
"Molrang?"
To become the Swimming Emperor, I'd need to sweep Olympic golds in freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, and individual medley.
"Gasp! I'll teach you!"
"Nonsense! Learn from me!"
"I've got forty years of coaching experience!"
The desire to recruit top talent was the same in ancient times or now. The swimming coaches escalated from petty squabbles to near-fisticuffs. No trace remained of the disdain they'd shown me before.
"This is awkward~"
"Molrang~"
Was it because I had to pick from coaches I didn't like? As I seriously pondered drawing lots,
"Kang Moon-soo. How about training under me?"
"Uh... Are you a coach?"
She was far too young to be one.
"I competed as a national team member in the last Olympics."
"Whoa! That's impressive. But why all of a sudden...?"
It didn't add up.
"I'm planning to retire after yielding this Olympics to my juniors. My skills aren't what they used to be."
"Ah, I see."
The current coaches didn't appeal, but learning from someone with no teaching experience felt even worse.
"Feel free to say no. Truth is... I approached you hoping you'd meet my little sister one more time."
"One more time?"
"Yes. Remember the girl who handed you the water bottle at the marathon finish line?"
"Oh! Yeah, I do. No one congratulated me, so it was awkward. Thanks to her, I was really grateful."
She'd looked like a high schooler, a bit younger than me.
"Could you tell her that yourself? She'd be thrilled."
"Sure."
I pulled out my smartphone from my pocket and asked for her number.
"Her name's Park Han-hee. She's loved running since she was little and is training to be a track athlete. She likes marathons too, but couldn't join because of health issues."
"......"
"Kang Moon-soo?"
"...Ah! Right. Park Han-hee, got it. Saved."
Park Han-hee. Hearing that name hit me like a blunt weapon to the head.
Nam Hae-su's wife!
It could be a coincidence, but I dismissed that possibility. Why? I knew Nam Hae-su's marriage story. He'd courted his fellow Sports University alum's little sister for seven years before tying the knot... National team member's sister, Park Han-hee. Younger than her husband Nam Hae-su. It all matched.
No doubt about it.
The common points alone ruled out it being someone else with the same name.
Tap tap.
Collecting my thoughts, I immediately texted 'Nam Hae-su's wife'.
「Kang Moon-soo: Hi. It's Kang Moon-soo. Got your number from your sister and texting.」
「Kang Moon-soo: Contact me anytime if you're free. No pressure.」
Just because Nam Hae-su wore another man's skin didn't mean his heart wasn't still his. If he's a man at all... He wouldn't tolerate his beloved wife in another guy's arms. Marriage aside.
"Looking forward to working with you."
"Oh! You're really going to train under me?"
"Yeah. Your sister's actions touched me."
No matter who coached me, Olympic gold was a lock. For her—with zero coaching creds or track record—I'd be a savior. Proof? Her face lit up the instant I agreed.
"Never dreamed the day would come when she'd thank my sister!"
"Looking forward to—hmm?"
Bzzz!
My pocket vibrated. Already?
It was a reply.
「Park Han-hee: Kang Moon-soo. Free tomorrow?」
「Park Han-hee: Anytime after 3pm when classes end for me.」
「Kang Moon-soo: How about 5pm at Player Village square?」
Player Village square. A meeting spot showing zero consideration for her. Pure curiosity would've prompted a refusal or venue change.
「Park Han-hee: Sounds good. See you at the square tomorrow at 5.」
"...She really seems thrilled."
I couldn't fathom why. Her sister looked a bit troubled, hesitating before murmuring,
"Actually..."
"Yes."
"Please keep what I told you a secret from my sister."
"Of course. My lips are sealed."
"My sister was forced into dating a track team senior right after starting college."
"Forced? Why...?"
"She's always been super popular with guys. Annoyingly so."
"Ah, got it."
I'd forgotten: Nam Hae-su's wife was a model-level beauty.
"That water bottle? Her senior made her prepare it. Said to hand it to him at the finish line."
"What?! That's... kinda creepy."
Wasn't taking it from her risky for me?
"It's fine. He collapsed from exhaustion mid-marathon and got carted to a hospital."
"......"
Felt like I was getting dragged into something messy.
* * *
My goal was to find Nam Hae-su, trapped in his dream, and talk him out of it. As for his wife, Park Han-hee? I only knew her name, age, job, and face—plus whatever kids they might've had. Anything more seemed unnecessary.
Totally blindsided!
I'd researched Nam Hae-su in detail, only to hit the absurdity of no Nam Hae-su in the dream world! Even the wuxia novels he supposedly loved were useless.
"Hi!"
The girl on the Player Village square bench spotted me and waved cheerfully. Baby-faced, but a college freshman—same age as me.
"Sorry! Made you wait."
"No, the weather's so nice I left early on a whim. It's not even 5 yet."
Her deeply pulled-down cap and mask hid everything but her eyes and brows, but every little gesture screamed femininity. Her shy voice sealed it.
"Thanks so much for the water. My throat was parched."
Lie. I hadn't sweated a drop, no thirst at all. But Park Han-hee nodded along without suspicion.
"No need to thank me. I was shocked too—no one congratulating a marathon world record."
"Everyone was stunned by the unexpected result."
Song Seon-yeong's rejections had made girls my age an alien species, but I had no choice but to engage. Valentine? As my bodyguard knight, she matched me perfectly from one to ten—total outlier.
"Molrang molrang~"
"......"
Behave.
"I've been wondering—what's that on your head?"
"This? It's a hat that prevents hair loss. The molrang texture soothes your scalp and pores."
"Molrang~"
Believe it or not, didn't matter. Even I knew it sounded lame—
"D-Do you have hair loss?"
She bought it?!
"No! None! I just like the feel. Don't believe me? Try it on."
"Oh! Can I?"
"Sure."
"Molrang."
Park Han-hee took off the firmly pressed hat and plopped the slime on her head.
She's a beauty.
Full confirmation needed mask-off, but Nam Hae-su must've saved a nation in a past life.
"Wow! It's really molrang~!"
"Molrang~!"
The slime's absurd simplicity melted our awkward vibe instantly. But having heard from her sister first? Every word and gesture from Park Han-hee felt fake.
Can't be helped.
To lure out Nam Hae-su in another man's skin, I needed to get close to his wife. Rage the husband into charging in... Wait.
I belatedly realized I didn't need to play the villain myself.
"Park Han-hee. Mind if I ask something?"
"Sure. What?"
"Got a boyfriend?"
"...Yeah. Why?"
Surprisingly, she admitted it readily.
Sister's misunderstanding?
No rule said sisters shared every private detail. Big sis's claim of forced dating with a track senior could be biased prejudice. Evidence: "I've broken up with two girlfriends in a row lately."
"Oh no! How?"
"First one dumped me for saying too much I disliked. Second was a coworker... quit the company, so we split."
Depression crept back.
"You're around my age, but already worked? What company?"
"Can't say details for security reasons, but I consulted for an investment firm."
Advisor to a ducal house that devoured an empire.
"Whoa! Office job and athletic?"
"Wanted to be a swimmer, but they wouldn't take me, so investment firm it was."
"I see~"
"Molrang~"
Park Han-hee's current boyfriend wasn't Nam Hae-su. The Swimming Emperor's aptitude was track. No reason to ditch 'Nam Hae-su's' body if he planned to be a track star in the dream world.
This is weird.
Didn't care if his future wife dated and married someone else? Back to square one.
"Um... Kang Moon-soo."
"Great meeting you too. Take care goi—"
"N-No! Not that...!"
"......"
We strolled Player Village paths, grabbed coffee at a café. Time passed; sunset views... Anything left to say? If we were dating, maybe linger—but zero spark.
"Kang Moon-soo. Do you like running?"
"I'm good at it, but not aimless running."
"I see..."
Her shoulders slumped in deep disappointment. To score points, I'd lie and say yes—but I didn't want more entanglement, so honesty it was.
No need to get close! If Nam Hae-su, reborn in a new life as someone else, didn't obsess over his 'ex-wife', neither would I.
"Getting chilly."
So head home? Reading my intent, she blurted her real purpose in a panic.
"This might sound weird, I know, but... ever thought of becoming a track athlete?"
"Yep."
"I get swimming training's insane alrea—huh?!"
Expecting flat refusal, Park Han-hee panicked.
"Already applied. I'm greedy for Olympic medals. Track, fencing, swimming, cycling, canoeing, taekwondo, wrestling, judo, boxing..."
"W-Wait! Joke, right? All those events?!"
"Yeah. If the records hold, no reason not to."
To catch Nam Hae-su's medal count short-term, no choice.
"Oh my god..."
"Hope you make Olympics too, Park Han-hee."
"......"
"See you then."
I turned with empty well-wishes.
"Where you going?"
"Track field. Off to do something cruel."
Just like the Swimming Emperor.