Chapter 66
Is Park Han-hee, Nam Hae-su's wife, approaching me intentionally to draw me in? It didn't really matter either way.
My judgment is what counts.
Even if she asks for help, I can just turn her down.
"Thank you for meeting me!"
"Looks like this might take a while... How about we head to a café?"
"Sure!"
We moved to a quiet alleyway café with few customers.
"Miss Park Han-hee. What would you like? It's on me."
"No way! You're already making time for me—I'll cover it. Just pick whatever, and I'll pay."
"Hmm... Yogurt smoothie, the biggest size."
"One venti yogurt smoothie and a regular iced Americano with an extra shot, please."
Clink!
We ordered drinks to our tastes and sat facing each other at a café table.
I just swore to myself not to freeload off a woman... And I broke it right away? I need to fix this freeloading habit ASAP.
"My boyfriend's senior—his dad used to be on the national team. Now he's in a high position with real influence."
"I see..."
"Once I found that out, it got hard to say no to his requests. 'Come home with me,' 'Let's hit karaoke,' 'Movie theater'... And those demands just got more blatant over time."
"Got it."
I nodded along to Park Han-hee's story on the surface, but I figured I should hear the senior's side too.
She might've approached him first, chasing his halo.
I can't let one side's claims sway me.
But then,
"Recently, he said he'd drop me off at home, got me in the car, and took some weird detour."
"......"
"I got scared and bolted when his car stopped at a light. After that, everything he did terrified me."
"Hmm..."
"Please help me."
If everything she said was true, shouldn't she go to the police instead of me? So I asked,
"Have you talked to the police or a lawyer?"
"I thought about it. But then what? He'd get off with a warning, but I'd be blacklisted and couldn't compete anymore."
"Ah..."
I'd thought I should hear the senior's side. But,
Back when Nam Hae-su got married, Park Han-hee was a model!
She loved running but gave up track for some reason. If it wasn't lack of talent but this senior's bullying?
It all lined up.
"Lots of people question your records and keep it hush, but rumors are already flying that you're an Olympic-sweeping sports genius."
"Heh~"
I hadn't known. I'd just figured they were treating me like I was invisible since it was so quiet.
"Please help."
"I get why you picked me out of all those guys."
"......"
"Pretend to date me and protect me, right?"
"Yes..."
Park Han-hee fiddled with her empty coffee cup, her voice barely above a whisper.
She's really torn up about this.
Her emotional plea didn't sway me, though. My dilemma boiled down to one thing: To provoke Nam Hae-su in his human disguise, would it be riskier for his real-world wife?
That was it.
"Oh! Your cup's empty. What do you want?"
"Iced café mocha... Ah!"
"Got it! I'll order~"
Park Han-hee jumped up and dashed to the counter before I could stop her.
"....."
"Here, drink up!"
"...Thanks. I'll enjoy it."
The iced coffee in front of me looked like a poisoned chalice.
No choice.
If Park Han-hee was on the verge of giving up her dreams, wouldn't her future husband rush in to save her? Or maybe after she quits track and becomes a model as fated...
"Can I call you casually?"
"Oh! Sure!"
"Call me Han-hee casually too."
"Thank you so much!"
"Don't thank me. I'm the one happy to get a cool girlfriend."
"Cool?"
"Pretty."
Here's hoping Nam Hae-su in his human skin gets jealous.
* * *
As the Olympics neared, the coaches and staff obsessed over the athletes' self-management. Smoking, drinking, illegals, trips, gambling... Catching a contagious disease could bar you from the Games, so even dating—with its inevitable outings—was frowned upon.
"Arms out, stand still. I'll spray you down."
"Again?"
"You went out, right? Quarantine protocol."
"Even so, this feels too frequent..."
"Please understand. If Kang Moon-soo misses the Olympics, a lot of people will be stripping down to their undies."
"Ah, got it."
Park Han-hee's prediction came true in just two days.
(Korea's Superboy Kang Moon-soo!)
(Olympics' Top Prospect!)
(Athlete with Everything But Looks!)
(Kang Moon-soo's Unofficial World Records...)
(Government Goes All-In to Protect Kang Moon-soo!)
......
Total support and hype. Drug, enhanced human, alien rumors piled on too, but I had no interest in entertaining them.
Spray spray!
After the hygiene worker doused me head to toe, I entered the Player Village track.
"Hello."
"Oh! Looking healthy today—good! Use lane 1; it's disinfected."
"Yes, sir."
The other athletes trained far from my reserved lane 1.
Hygiene first! Hygiene second! They were hyper-focused on keeping their sure-gold medalist safe.
"Moon-soo!"
Park Han-hee waved from afar, calling my name loud for all to see.
"Work hard."
I waved back enthusiastically.
But maybe because we weren't really dating? It didn't make my heart race like seeing Song Seon-yeong in the dream.
"...Kang Moon-soo."
"Yes."
I turned to the coach, who looked stifled in his pristine hazmat suit.
"You dating Park Han-hee?"
"Just started a few days ago. Her big sis coaches my swimming."
"Hmm... I see."
"Any issue?"
"Nah. Just noticed you two seem close. No big deal—don't sweat it."
"Yes, sir."
The coach's "no big deal" tone was dead serious. Meaning?
Whoa! Quick retaliation!
Right after Park Han-hee rebelled against her boyfriend-senior, moves to drop her from the roster.
Should I probe?
I casually set an unofficial world record, then said,
"Coach."
"...Huh? Oh! Damn, you're fast! Just stay healthy!"
"Is Han-hee any good?"
"That's... not my department. Why? Wanna go together?"
"If possible."
Even without mentioning Olympics, the convo flowed naturally.
"If she's got the skills, no reason not."
"I see."
And the coach never clocked his slip-up.
From suspicion to certainty! No laugh left for a jilted guy's petty revenge.
Then,
"Where's Kang Moon-soo...!"
A young guy stormed the Player Village track, voice dripping rage as he hunted me.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Han-hee's boyfriend! Ah! You must be Kang Moon-soo! Hear me once: Stay out of my sight."
"Hmm~"
His words shocked me, but even more that no one stopped him. Not even the coaches managing athletes?
My quiet heart pounded.
"S-Senior..."
"Shut it. We'll talk later."
The self-proclaimed boyfriend glared murderously at Park Han-hee.
I called out to him.
"Hey, turtle. Mind not ordering my girlfriend around?"
"What?! You wanna die, punk...!"
"Kill me then, turtle. If you can catch me."
"You're dead!"
Thud!
Eyes rolled back, the turtle charged the rabbit.
* * *
"You're joking, right? You, the fastest man in Korea?"
"This punk...!"
He was quick enough for a national team pick, but only briefly.
"Turtle, when you gonna catch me?"
"Huff huff!"
Soon exhausted, he couldn't even touch my shadow.
"Showing mercy."
I stood just out of arm's reach, maintaining that gap.
"Argh...!"
Realizing he was toying with him like an adult pranking a kid, his face burned red with humiliation.
He flailed desperately to grab me.
Splat!
Then twisted his ankle and tumbled.
"Hey, when you gonna catch me?"
"Aaaah!"
Locking eyes with me looming victorious above, he bellowed in bitter fury.
From strong to weak.
Genius to dunce.
He couldn't handle the helplessness he'd never felt.
"Wah?"
"......"
I don't enjoy bullying the weak.
I'd been crushed like a bug by Magic Boy Choi Kang-min, after all. Didn't wanna become the same monster.
So,
"Hey, turtle. Use your imagination from now on. What if I announce I'm forfeiting Olympic gold because of a bronze-barley guy like you?"
I'll grind him down thoroughly.
Until he gets the weak's pain.
"You're insane?!"
"Think I can't? Why not?"
"No way you'd forfeit a medal...!"
"Never said I would. No one wants that anyway. You'd just vanish."
"......"
Finally getting my intent, he glared wide-eyed.
"If you get it, then from now on..."
"Psycho. That'll never happen. Know who my dad is? You better watch your—"
"Please. Let me emigrate and win medals for another country."
"Ah...?"
Wrong guy to mess with.
I'm an outsider anywhere in this world. Nothing to fear.
"Then your dad eats every curse and strips. Fun to imagine, right?"
"Bluff...!"
"Plenty of countries would welcome me. Planning fifty golds or so."
"Sob..."
Realizing even his threats bounced off me?
He broke down weeping.
"Turtle. To beat the rabbit, crawl quiet."
"......"
"Stay out of my sight. If you wanna compete in the Olympics."
I'm no kind rabbit.
* * *
Despite pandemic spread and worries, Olympics on schedule as planned!
Meant my dream-world stay wouldn't drag on.
But really?
A bit uneasy.
This hellish world was getting interesting...
"Moon-soo. Checking news on your smartphone again?"
"It's fun."
"Politics fun?"
Park Han-hee, still acting my girlfriend even after her senior quieted down. She eyed me weirdly as I chuckled at news.
"It's wild."
"What is?"
"Check this. Politician denies high-end pension sex party, gets busted. Not wild?"
"Eh... Not really. Happens all the time."
"Huh."
Park Han-hee and I lived in different worlds.
Maybe me too...
Would I get used to it here, without P's aptitude tester?
Still couldn't fathom Manager Seo Hye-ju defending the old ways.
"Moon-soo."
"Yeah?"
"Gotta keep watching news?"
"Nah, just 'cause you nagged about not going out."
Since leaving the cozy hotel for Player Village, felt 24/7 surveillance.
Other athletes outing for family weddings or illnesses, but no family excuses for me.
When's he coming~?
Just waiting endlessly for Nam Hae-su to show.
"Wanna run together."
"This late?"
Sky pitch black.
"Streetlights are on."
"Hmm. Late, so few watchers..."
"Not advertising to everyone. I really wanna run with you."
"Training together?"
"No."
"Then why?"
Couldn't read her intent.
"'Cause I like you."
"Hah?"
What?
"Moon-soo. Wanna date for real?"
"Sorry."
"...Why?"
"Can't forget my ex. Who's a secret."
"For real?"
"Don't have to believe. I don't force like a turtle."
"...I'll believe you."
"Oof!"
My blunt reply burst her tear ducts.
"I-It's fine. Sniff!"
"......"
Made the girl cry, but not my fault.
...Is it?
Dunno.
"Moon-soo."
"Sorry."
"Stop apologizing. Not your fault anyway. Wanna go get some air?"
"Uh, this vibe?"
But rabbit-eyed, red-rimmed Park Han-hee wouldn't back down.
"Am I less fun than news?"
"Let's go!"
Hating more tears, I waved the white flag hard.
"Molrang~"
"...Whoops! Almost forgot the hat!"
"Molrang?!"
"Where you sneaking off?"
Grabbed the grumbling hat and plopped it on, opening the door.
Thud.
A paper wedged in the door crack fell at my feet.
"What's this..."
"What?"
"A letter."
"No way, a love letter?!"
Park Han-hee, nerves frayed by me, got hyped.
"Curious? Read it."
"Really?"
"From some unknown guy."
Finally found it.