Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Cha Hee-ra
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That day onward, Hee-ra noona's grand diet operation continued relentlessly, showing no signs of stopping.
She'd sometimes whine because it was too tough and her body ached.
She caught on that whenever she did, I'd motivate her by tossing in extra cash on top of the usual pay, so she started whining every single day.
But who am I? I let it slide once or twice, but when it kept up, I ruthlessly cut off all support.
When I flatly told her to quit altogether if she was going to keep it up, Hee-ra noona couldn't hold out any longer and fell in line with Na-young's Spartan diet regimen.
"Still, there's some progress... I guess...?"
Watching Hee-ra noona breeze through her warm-ups—something that used to be a struggle at first, thanks to consistent exercise—left my head in a whirl.
The workouts seemed effective; she could follow Na-young's routine right away now. But strangely, not a single ounce of fat had budged.
Her already plump frame wasn't shedding any weight—instead, it was packing on muscle, which only made her feel even heavier.
"Noona."
"Yeah? What?"
I called out to Hee-ra noona.
She had to be puzzled—I was usually off to the side, fiddling with my weird smartphone or doing my own exercises, and now I was suddenly calling her name.
"By any chance, do you pig out after workouts?"
"......"
As expected. No quick answer.
Clearly guilty, she was sweating bullets and dodging my gaze.
"Sister... Eating matters, but scarfing down so much that you don't lose weight despite all this exercise? That's a problem."
Just as Na-young said.
It made no sense. She was grinding through high-intensity diet workouts that'd make anyone grimace, yet no weight loss at all.
I couldn't help wondering just how much she devoured after we parted ways post-session.
"I'm not handing out cash for this."
The money was meant to give her struggling life a little boost.
If she'd splurged on luxuries, that'd be one thing. But blowing it all on food? Just sigh-worthy.
Anyway, since I planned to make her my second girl, I could've covered any luxury spending no problem.
It wasn't about funding some girl to get pretty enough—it was for Hee-ra noona, whose stunning beauty had already blossomed.
But if she kept snacking to stall her weight loss and pocketed the cash anyway, even I couldn't look the other way.
"Noona... You do have some savings stashed away, right?"
"......"
Wow. Shocking.
In just over a month, I'd given her nearly one million won.
Huge sum for a student, but the thought of her blowing it all on grub? Headache incoming.
At this rate, would I ever see that sharp-featured girl crush Cha Hee-ra from the future?
Or maybe this chubby Cha Hee-ra wasn't the same person I knew.
"This won't cut it."
"...! If, if you don't pay up, I won't show again!"
So brazen.
That saying about favors turning into entitlements? Spot on.
I was the one coaching her workouts and slipping her cash in return—anyone could see I was party A and she was B.
Yet here was B throwing a fit, threatening to bail on exercise without pay. Couldn't help but chuckle.
Hold it in. Hold it in.
No upside to snapping over something this minor.
"I'll pay. No worries."
"Phew......"
No real reason to withhold the money.
It wasn't a big hit to my wallet; I was just frustrated that my time and investment weren't paying off.
"Noona. Still sitting at 120kg?"
"Eek...!"
A while back after a session, she'd hit the bathhouse to soak away the fatigue in hot water.
Na-young mentioned Hee-ra tipped the scales at 120kg then.
No real change since, so probably holding steady there.
"N-no...! Lost a bit... 118.7kg now......"
Big whoop. 1.3kg? Not exactly earth-shattering.
"Right. 118.7kg."
I graciously adjusted the number for her.
"55kg."
"Huh...?"
"Drop to exactly 55kg, and I'll hand you 100 million won."
"What...? Whaa...? 100, 100 million...?!"
100 million—nobody's pet dog's name. Hee-ra noona was utterly speechless.
For reference, 55kg was her weight in the past... and the future.
"100 million... And 55kg... Impossible......"
Her eyes were spinning from the 100 million, but shedding over double her current weight? Pure despair already.
"Yeah. It'll be brutal. But 100 million. 100 million."
"You got that kind of cash? And even if you do, you can really give it to me?"
No matter how loaded my family was, the idea of a kid like me splashing 100 million freely? Hard to swallow.
So her skepticism made total sense.
"Na-young. Got the ring on?"
"Ring?"
"Yeah. The one I slipped on when I confessed."
"In my bag. One sec."
Ring off for workouts. Na-young grabbed her bag and rummaged.
Soon, a fancy ring case appeared in her hand as she stepped out.
Carefully, the case opened.
"Wow... So pretty."
Cubic zirconia emerald, with the band decked in real diamonds—luxury incarnate.
But Hee-ra noona figured it was kids' stuff, so fake. Just admired how pretty it was.
"Noona. This cubic? Straight-up emerald."
"Emerald...? The emerald I know?"
"Yep. Whoa... Crazy."
Even knowing it was emerald, her reaction stayed flat.
Well, cheap emeralds were dime-a-dozen. But the cubic in my ring and Na-young's? A whopping 30 million price tag.
Diamonds making up the band? Top purity, roughly 50 million more.
Commissioned a master jeweler—20 million crafting fee per ring. 100 million apiece. Total 200 million sunk into these babies.
"Noona. Guess the price?"
"How much? Three million?"
Three million was pricey already.
She'd pocketed a million from me, so figured this was easy pickings.
"100 million."
"......"
"Per ring. Left mine at home today. Two make 200 million."
Her eyes shook like aspen leaves.
Face screaming "lie" or "joke."
"Believe it or not, your call."
If she hit that weight goal, 100 million was hers, no question.
More than that—if she became my second, I'd hand over half my assets.
Hee-ra noona was that beautiful, that magnetic. On par with Na-young.
Easy talk when you're dead certain you can rake in more anytime.
"Skip workout today."
No point going through motions—she'd sneak snacks behind our backs and pack the fat right back on.
Might as well.
"Na-young. Meat tonight?"
Meat was a biweekly treat by agreement—and we'd had it last week.
"Meat...? We just did last week, you sure?"
"This week too, why not."
"For real...? Heehee! Let's! Let's go!"
Na-young's face bloomed with a gorgeous smile at the thought of meat two weeks running.
"Noona coming?"
Meat. Free meat. Hee-ra noona nodded on instinct.
And so I led Na-young and Hee-ra noona to our usual grill spot.
"Huh? Here three days ago, back already?"
The familiar lady boss greeted us the second we walked in.
"Craving hit again."
"Heh, meat's like that—always tempting, always tasty. Sit, sit."
"Thanks."
We settled into the guided seats, and I plopped down my heavy rear.
"Usual order."
"Got it. Won't be long."
Hee-ra, who'd trailed us in a daze and sat down, finally piped up cautiously.
"This place... Isn't it crazy expensive?"
Prime grill joint—normals mustered courage for a rare visit.
Staff greeting us like old hats and seating us? Clear we were regulars.
Then.
"Eek?!"
Beautifully marbled cuts artfully plated and incoming—Hee-ra noona freaked.
That spread alone? Tens of thousands easy.
"Uh, earlier... 'Usual'... 'Usual order'...??"
Her pupils darted wildly to me.
"What?"
"......"
I asked coolly; Hee-ra just hung her head without a word.
As we grilled.
I turned to the suddenly deflated Hee-ra noona.
"Noona. Offer still stands. In now?"
Fishy, sure—but zero downside even if bluffed.
True? 100 million windfall. False? Diet motivation secured.
"Deadline... till when?"
"Deadline, huh..."
She seemed to mull it over, trailing off. I plated two pieces of done meat on Na-young's side dish, two on Hee-ra noona's.
"How much time you want, noona?"
Hee-ra noona pondered.
Eyes screaming she'd love 2-3 years.
"1..."
I scowled at the "1."
Not a week or month, please.
Hee-ra backpedaled fast.
"Half a year...?"
Ventured carefully.
"Tight, but kinda roomy too."
Muscle-building? Laughable. But fat drop? Half year doable.
And with 100 mil carrot? Solid deal.
"Deal. Half year."
Half-year terms locked in.
With a deal sealed, she'd ditch junk-food crutch for real weight loss now.
100 million on line—not dieting would be insane.
"My treat. Pig out. More if short."
"Yeah... Thanks."
Hee-ra noona wrapped a hearty ssam and shoved it in.
Meat melted tenderly, flavor exploding—her face went blissed-out.
"But... seriously. Why go this far for me?"
The question she'd bottled up.
"'Cause you're like me."
Na-young, who'd been quietly chowing and ssam-making for me, spoke up.
"Right... You said we were alike..."
Hee-ra noona nodded like it clicked.
"And you?"
"Kinda... smelled Na-young on you?"
"Huh? So I'll prettify like her if I slim down?"
After hearing Na-young's tale, Hee-ra noona's lips twitched.
"Ballpark."
"Pfft... Bwahaha!"
She tried stifling it but burst out laughing.
Tears welled; she dabbed her eyes with tissue.
"So I slim down, I become your girl?"
"Your take, noona?"
"Hell yeah for me. Snagging trash like me? Plus loaded. Na-young cool?"
She side-eyed Na-young next to me.
"Me? Ji-hoon's call."
"Yeah... You're off too."
Me dumping fortunes to prettify obvious ugly duckling; girlfriend not just cool with cheating BF but backing him. Worlds away from Hee-ra noona's norms.
Truth? Didn't see Na-young greenlighting so easy.
Thinks it's hopeless? But she's living proof.
"Recorded it. No take-backs."
"When?!"
"Just now. Wanna hear?"
"Nah... Whatever. Do you. Just don't dump me if I flop the glow-up."
"Wouldn't dream."
Deal done, but I wasn't stopping there.
Her vibe? Flash FX/stock gains and bank balance—she'd jump ship to me easy.
Still, "what ifs" exist. Like with Na-young, I'd make Hee-ra noona dependent on me.
Any means necessary.