Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: Na-young Han
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"Hah, hah! Heok!"
"Hang in there, Na-young. Just a little more running!"
"Hagut... Ha... Haak... Hak, eung...!"
My stamina was pretty pathetic right now, and since I was still short like a kid, I was running laps around the track with Na-young to help her shed some weight.
But as you could tell from Na-young's massive frame, her endurance was downright awful.
After barely more than half a lap, I was starting to feel my breath get heavy, while Na-young looked like she could collapse at any second.
Her sluggish, stumbling steps and the way her flesh jiggled nonstop with every stride looked a bit gross, but I tried to ignore it.
"Just a bit more...! You can do it, Na-young!"
"Heuk... Hek."
She couldn't even respond anymore.
Her eyes were glazing over, and her wobbly steps looked like they could turn into a full tumble any moment.
"Just a bit more!"
One full lap was right in front of us.
Na-young knew it too and pushed herself with a grunt, finally crossing the finish line.
"Hek hek."
The moment she passed the imaginary finish line, the utterly spent Na-young let her legs give out and collapsed flat on the ground.
Her chest heaved up high with ragged breaths, then sank deep.
"You okay?"
No answer, of course.
Her eyes were just pleading for me not to talk to her right now, screaming that she was far from okay.
"I know it's tough. But you have to push through anyway."
I couldn't let her quit over something as simple as exercise.
When she thought about being thrown into society without any prep, this would seem like nothing.
Na-young already looked like she hated it, oblivious to all that.
"Think you can run more?"
She averted her gaze when I asked.
"Na-young. I'll stay right by your side, so don't give up. Let's run together, okay?"
"R-right... by my side...?"
"Yeah. Right by your side."
"The whole time?"
"The whole time."
Did my words strike a chord? Tears welled up in Na-young's eyes.
She cried in front of me a lot lately, and I liked seeing it.
It meant she was opening up to me.
"Why cry again? You're ruining that pretty face."
Meaning she should save those tears for me alone, I carefully pulled her massive body into a hug.
"Heuk... Hic..."
She started sobbing in my arms, and the class kids whispered as they watched.
'Na-young Han's husband is hugging Na-young Han!' 'They look good together. Hope they really get married!' Stuff like that, mocking jabs nonstop, but it didn't faze me.
If anything, since I wanted to marry Na-young, it felt like praise.
Na-young, though, seemed bothered—or worried her low self-esteem was dragging me down—and peeked at me through tears.
Every time, I gave her a gentle smile and stroked her hair.
No matter what anyone said, I was her solid wall.
A faint blush colored her cheeks, peeking through her bangs.
*
Weekend rolled around.
Even on the weekend, Na-young's diet project didn't stop.
"You're here?"
"Uh, y-yeah..."
Ever since she burst into tears on the track, Na-young couldn't meet my eyes.
Her face stayed red—who knew how long?—so she kept her head down, stammering nonstop.
Not a bad reaction.
So.
"Wanna run first?"
"R-right... now...?"
She grimaced the second we met and I suggested running.
"We're here to exercise. What else would we do?"
"..."
She hemmed and hawed, like she wanted to do something else, then let out a short sigh.
"Give me your bag."
I reached for her bag—full of water and stuff—but she shook her head.
"N-no, I'll carry it now...!"
"It's fine. Hand it over."
"N-no...!"
Why resist over this?
I snatched it anyway.
She wasn't ready to run with extra weight, so it was better if I carried it.
"If it's bothering you that much, wanna hold hands?"
"...?!"
She couldn't stop staring at the bag I'd taken, so I tossed out a light joke, but she didn't take it lightly.
Her face flushed even redder as she stole glances at my hand. It was oddly cute.
"I-it's f-fine... ah..."
She bit her tongue and bolted off alone.
"Wait up! Na-young!"
I caught up quick. Soon I was running alongside her as she panted on the verge of collapse.
"Heok...! Hek... Heup...! Hek...!"
"Tired? Wanna take a quick break?"
"I-I can run... a bit more...!"
A few days ago, she'd have nodded eagerly and flopped over at those words.
Now she wanted to push further. Nice change.
"Alright. Let's do a bit more then."
We repeated run-rest-run-rest like that for about two hours. Then I took Na-young back to my place.
"What's... this?"
"Magic potion to bring back your pretty face."
"Magic potion...? You put this on your face?"
She spotted "foot cream" on the jar and looked skeptical.
"Of course. Obviously."
It was made for feet, sure, but in the future, nobody used it that way.
Word got out that it worked better on faces without side effects, jacking up the price and making it a hot commodity worldwide.
It nuked pimples, blackheads, acne—everything.
But right now, nobody knew, so it was cheap and ignored.
"Come on, let's apply it."
"N-no... I d-don't wanna...!"
This was the cream she'd later slather on and even endorse with thanks?
"Na-young. You trust me, right?"
"J-Ji-hoon...?"
"Yeah. Trust me? If you do, just try it—even if you think you'll regret it?"
"..."
She couldn't refuse after that.
"It's brand new. No issues."
Nobody had used it on feet; packaging was intact.
I twisted off the lid, peeled the foil, and squeezed some onto my hand.
Then went straight for her face.
"Here we go, Na-young."
Her face screamed she didn't want it, but she squeezed her eyes shut anyway.
"Good girl."
I swept her bangs back.
Her bare face came into view—impossible to call pretty.
We'd barely started exercising, so it was still puffy with fat.
Plus mysterious bumps everywhere, making it hideous.
But up close, the hidden pretty bits shone through.
Big eyes neatly placed, perky nose, full lips. I couldn't wait for the fat to melt off.
"Uu... Uh... Uu."
She groaned uncomfortably as I gently applied it.
Her hands and feet fidgeted.
"It t-tickles... kinda stings too..."
Meant for thick foot skin, it had strong ingredients that could irritate or tingle.
But thinking of it slaughtering facial gunk made it feel great.
Na-young, unaware, showed her discomfort openly.
"Wow, you're pretty. You look way prettier already."
"R-really?"
Hope lit her voice.
Half-true, half-not. Felt a bit guilty.
Honestly, her face was now ghostly white with little bumpy islands everywhere—not pretty.
But better than before.
"Yeah... of course."
She beamed at my firm yes. Cute.
"Stay like this a bit, then wash your face. Might as well shampoo too."
"Can I?"
"That's why. Wash up nice and clean, okay?"
Couldn't keep petting that greasy mop forever.
Shower while she's at it?
"After, one more run."
"A-again...?!"
Staring at her face up close while applying made me itch to strip every ounce of fat ASAP.
So more running. She hated it outright.
"Don't wanna?"
"Tired."
"I know. I see how hard it is. But push through. Okay?"
"Uu."
I might be overdoing it, but what could I do? Beauty took blood, sweat, and tears.
"We ran non-stop till now. Can't we stop for today?"
"Na-young..."
Sorry, but don't make that pitiful face with yours. It's getting scary.
"Got any wishes?"
"Wishes? Why suddenly?"
"Exercise after washing, and I'll give you a Wish Voucher."
"Really? Anything I want?"
"Anything I can grant."
"Yes! Awesome! Exercise! Let's go!"
Total flip from the tteokbokki bet.
Back then, no wishes, so dry response.
"Ah...! If I win the bet, you give another Wish Voucher, right...?"
I'd win the pretty-or-not bet for sure, but no need to say.
She wouldn't believe it anyway.
"Sure."
I nodded without hesitation and stroked her dry, greasy hair.
"Anything I can grant, I'll do it all."
"Hehe..."
Some hopeful fantasy spun in her head as she grinned like an idiot.
"That's enough. Go wash up."
"Okay!"
I shoved her into the bathroom.
She washed off the sweat and cream, we ran the streets again, and she said she'd save the Wish Voucher for later.
*
Time marched on mercilessly to the next day.
"Eek! It's the virus husband's stuff!"
"Kyaa~! Get away!"
"Don't come near! Don't infect me!"
A boy brushed my bag passing by.
He shrieked like he'd caught something worse than Wuhan pneumonia, then zombie-ran at the others.
"J-Ji-hoon..."
"Yeah? What."
"N-nothing."
She'd endured this bullying forever, and now I was catching it too. Guilt hit innocent Na-young hard.
She knew best how painful it was, having lived it.
But my adult mind in this body? Totally unfazed.
Social life had worse; kids seemed cute by comparison.
"Na-young. Straighten your back."
"Y-yeah!"
In this fast-growth phase, slouching meant a hunched body for life.
Too late to fix later.
No matter how comfy bad posture felt, we had to train good habits now.
"A bit more."
I pressed her waist; she jolted at the touch, back snapping straight.
"Good. Hold it like that. Got it?"
"Y-yeah. Got it."
She listened so well. Nice.
If she just grew into my obedient pretty girl...
"Alright, kids. Quiet down. Teacher's here—stop running around and sit."
Bell rang, teacher entered soon after.
"Today we'll hand back last test. When I call, come grab it quick."
Names by number.
Kids rose one by one for their papers.
Some bummed at low scores, some thrilled at highs, some just happy regardless.
"Ji-hoon Lee... Whoa...! Studied hard, huh?"
Teacher's eyes widened in my turn.
"Thank you."
100, naturally.
"Big improvement. Keep it up."
"Yes, sir."
This difficulty? Cakewalk.
Shoulders puffed anyway.
"Whoa... 100 points."
"Wanna see?"
"Yeah! Yeah!"
I handed my paper to wide-eyed Na-young, glued to it.
No red slashes, just checks—she gawked like it'd never seen one.
"Na-young Han."
"Yes!"
Her face soured grabbing hers.
Rain of red marks. Study fail obvious.
Couldn't blame her.
No cram school, bullied in class—hard to focus.
"Wanna teach you later?"
"Really?!"
"If you want."
"Yes! Teach me!"
She nodded, brighter than before.
Loved seeing her smile around school now.