Chapter 64: The Gym (1)
Chapter 64: The Gym (1)
“But I’ve never actually been to a gym.”
“What?”
I felt it was necessary to let her know in advance, but Kang Yu-min’s reaction was less than stellar.
Why the face? As I stared back at her, she spoke with a look of pure disbelief.
“You were in the military.”
“Yeah.”
“And you didn't go to the gym in the military?”
“Nope.”
“Don't they have equipment there?”
“I mean, they do, but…”
I struggled to find an answer. Sure, they had a physical training room with some equipment, but the people who actually used it were always the same few.
First off, you basically can't use it when you're a private, and even when you can… why bother?
I gave her the biggest reason.
“We had smartphones.”
“What do smartphones have to do with it?”
I flinched at the pure innocence in Kang Yu-min’s eyes. What was this? She was just asking a question, but I felt strangely guilty.
I swallowed my excuses and answered.
“…My entire day consisted of training and manual labor. Do you really think I’d want to go to a gym after that?”
“Why not?”
Why not? I looked at Kang Yu-min in horror, and only then did the reality of the situation sink in.
Kang Yu-min was a crazy bitch who did nothing but exercise three times a day.
Back when she played women’s soccer, she’d train all day, come home, and exercise some more. We even had some gym equipment at home back then.
We still have some now, but it’s been neglected because she doesn't use it much lately.
Her reasoning was somewhat understandable. She said working out at a gym was better than doing it at home. I could get that, to an extent. There were things like air conditioning, heating, and the equipment there was more diverse and better maintained.
So we all just accepted it and moved on… but it suddenly occurred to me that Kang Yu-min’s madness might be something even more intense than Eldest Noona’s obsession or Yu-ri’s "family love."
“You crazy bitch…”
“What?”
“You’re a fitness-obsessed crazy bitch…”
“This is the healthy way to live. The human body was meant to be used. It’s better to wear it out than to let it rust from neglect.”
“Seriously, a total crazy bitch…”
“And yet this 'crazy bitch' keeps getting called 'Noona,' doesn't she?”
I screamed as Kang Yu-min pinched me mercilessly. Only after that little farce did we dry ourselves off and step out.
“So, are you going starting today?”
Kang Yu-min asked suddenly, just as we were both down to our underwear.
What should I do? Part of me was dying of laziness at the thought of going to the gym, but it was also true that if Noona suddenly decided on a whim to "forcibly conscript" me, I’d have no way to resist.
So, I figured going today was the best path for my physical and mental well-being.
“Yeah, I should.”
“Then, do you have workout clothes?”
Workout clothes. I rolled my eyes as I thought about it, but nothing came to mind.
I had some stuff I used in the military, but I hated it because it smelled like the barracks. The thought of wearing that to work out was embarrassing.
“For today, I’ll just wear whatever…”
“Want to go buy some?”
“Huh?”
Right. I have plenty of money. As I realized this and my eyes widened, Kang Yu-min let out a giggle.
“I don't know if you'll quit after three days, but you do have 10x Stamina.”
“True.”
“Then you’re going to be doing it often anyway. Wouldn't it be better to start with the right gear? Usually, I find it pathetic when people buy all the equipment before they even start working out, but in your case, I can let it slide.”
Kang Yu-min smirked and poked my side with her elbow. In the past, I would have mistaken this for a "gym rat" being overjoyed at proselytizing fitness, but I already knew her true intentions.
It was obvious to anyone. Even I couldn't miss it.
I grabbed the elbow that was poking my side.
“You just want to go on a date, don't you? Since you said you like me.”
She started stuttering, clearly flustered.
“N-N-No? This is just me being a good Noona…”
Her face turned red, and she pointlessly avoided my gaze. I wondered how someone could be such a pushover, but strangely, her clumsiness gave me a significant sense of peace.
After dealing with Eldest Noona’s terrifying obsession and Yu-ri’s cloying stickiness, looking at Kang Yu-min made my heart feel at ease.
“Sure, let’s go with that.”
“I’m serious! Really…”
“Let’s go buy some. Oh, what do I need to get? I’ve never been to a gym, so I don't know.”
Kang Yu-min’s reaction remained within the realm of normal. Blushing and acting shy, she seemed to catch the hidden meaning in my words and gave a faint smile. It was a smile filled with gratitude and joy.
She seemed genuinely happy just to be going to the gym with me.
It’s not something you’d usually say about a family member, but she was actually kind of cute.
“First, it’s good to have a tumbler for water. A regular bottle works, but… you drink iced drinks even in winter.”
“Yeah.”
“Then a tumbler will be better. It’s better to have a separate shaker, but… if you don't want to carry two things, you can just get an all-in-one.”
“A shaker? Wait… what’s that for?”
“Protein.”
“Ah.”
So that’s what they call the thing you use to drink that stuff.
It made sense, though. People shaking those things is practically a symbolic image in the media.
Protein. I wondered if I really needed that.
“You have 10x Stamina, not 10x Muscular Strength, right?”
Kang Yu-min pointed out.
“Hmm, fair point.”
In game terms, I was currently a character with incredibly high stamina/endurance but only average strength.
Unless I planned on never using my muscles, strength was important for almost anything.
My current endurance felt like something magical, but if I wanted to use that endurance effectively, strength would be just as important.
It’s not that I was weak, but compared to my 10x Stamina, my strength was admittedly a bit lacking.
“Should we buy the protein when we go?”
“It’s a hassle to carry around unless you’re going to keep it at the gym.”
“Then?”
“Order it from the place I use. You’re a beginner, so you won't need protein today anyway. We can buy the shaker later, too. As for the bottle…”
Kang Yu-min hesitated, her cheeks flushing slightly.
“Just drink from mine. Let’s go. We just need to buy workout clothes.”
“Oh, look at you blushing while thinking about an indirect kiss.”
“I-It’s not like that?!”
Kang Yu-min pinched my side again, and I jumped in pain as we left the house.
I grabbed my wallet and zipped up my padding jacket against the still-chilly weather.
It was almost February. The season showed no signs of letting up, but the weather made the passage of time feel vivid.
Countless clouds drifted under the high sky. Since it wasn't snowing, the streets were in that awkward state of being neither clean nor dirty.
“Oh, right. Are you going to return to university?”
Kang Yu-min asked suddenly as we walked toward the department store. I shrugged, feeling a sense of déjà vu.
“I don't know. My major isn't really my thing.”
“Are you going to drop out?”
“Maybe. Maybe not. But I definitely don't want to take the CSAT a second time.”
“I see.”
Kang Yu-min hummed in response, and I matched my pace to hers.
“Then what are you going to do?”
“I’m thinking about that too. Since I have 10x Stamina, I was wondering if I should go into sports. You know, like a marathon runner.”
“Hmm, I guess. If it’s a sport where stamina is key, a marathon is the obvious choice.”
Kang Yu-min agreed readily, and she had to.
She was the one who had contributed the most to verifying my 10x Stamina.
Even outside of the bedroom, she was a gym rat who worked out every day, so she was sharp when it came to physical endurance.
And the results we had confirmed together were quite startling.
Excluding raw strength, everything else that could be classified as "stamina" was at a superhuman level.
It wasn't just sexual vigor or endurance.
My mental fortitude and lung capacity had also increased nearly tenfold. If I were to utilize my current physical condition, a marathon seemed like the most realistic path.
Swimming wasn't bad either, but speed is quite important in swimming.
“What about fencing?”
“Ah, not really my style. I’ve tried it before.”
“Really? I thought, well, um.”
What was with her? When I glanced at her, Kang Yu-min was scratching her slightly reddened cheek.
“You looked cool when you were fencing.”
This crazy bitch is being way too cute. I was surprised, but I also lamented the fact that I could actually feel this way about a family member.
But what could I do? My brain was already broken. I reached out and ruffled Kang Yu-min’s hair. She made a small protesting sound but clearly enjoyed it.
“But I’m not going to start again just because it turns you on. Got it?”
“What are you talking about… who said that…?”
“I am a bit interested in Kendo, though.”
“Kendo? That would look cool too.”
“Wow, first you confess, and now you’re openly admitting you’re turned on by your brother.”
“Hey! Who said that?! I… I just said it looks cool…”
While I laughed at her and Kang Yu-min grumbled, we arrived at the department store.
Nothing much happened there.
“That’s not a face you should be making at your brother.”
“W-What about my face?”
“You look like a total female.”
“Calling your Noona a 'female,' you little shit…”
We bought workout clothes to wear at the gym and tried them on.
“Do I need to buy shoes too?”
“Yeah, your feet get sweaty too, you know.”
“I know that. But in the military, we just…”
“Is this the military? You need to be comfortable to run well, and you don't want to trip and hurt your feet or toes. Just buy them without complaining.”
“Yes, ma'am.”
I even picked up a pair of indoor gym shoes, which I hadn't even realized I needed.
“But your feet don't smell even after you come back from the gym.”
“Because I shower there.”
“…Then you shower there and then shower with me again?”
“Ah.”
“Pervert Noona.”
“Ugh.”
Learning things I hadn't known before, we shared small talk as we took the elevator up to the 9th floor of the department store, where the gym was located.
The gym we encountered was vastly different from the one in my memory and perception.
The words "Fitness Club" written in stylish English and a clean, sophisticated entrance with a futuristic feel welcomed me.
It was a gym that clearly looked expensive, complete with internal restrooms, private VIP shower rooms, a swimming pool, golf, Pilates, yoga facilities, and even instructors.
It was only natural that my jaw dropped in shock. I turned my head blankly to look at Kang Yu-min.
“…You moved to this place recently, didn't you?”
Kang Yu-min realized what I was implying and slowly turned her head away.
“I-It’s not that expensive. The facilities are great, after all. So being a little pricey is…”
I wondered where this girl was spending all the money she made from the game, and now I knew.
I sighed but eventually gave in.
“…Fine, might as well use it while we have it. Let’s go in.”
Only then did Kang Yu-min smile with relief.