A Royal Pain
"Even so, with the money I have right now..."
"That's exactly why it's better. We can each take care of our own share, can't we? We could split the equity. We could buy the land in pieces and assemble it. Or we could purchase a whole mountain, rezone it, and build it ourselves. A small mountain is cheaper than you'd think. And if a young Multimale like you, Shinwoo, volunteers to move to the outskirts of Seoul, you really think they won't approve a zoning change? They'd welcome you with open arms."
"..."
If anything, she was the one talking me into it. I could feel how much more Ju Hayeong knew about real estate than I'd expected. The trouble was that buying a house that way made any later profit on the property hard to count on. I couldn't speak for Hyunji, but for Rahi and Ju Hayeong, that money had to be something they'd saved with real effort.
"And I understand how you feel, Shinwoo, but I think it's important that we each handle our own part. I don't know what the others think, but I know at least one thing. They'll want to stand tall in front of you. I want to pull my own weight, at the very least. Can't you spare a thought for our pride, too?"
She had a point. Only now did it occur to me that unconditional consideration could wound someone instead.
"...You're actually convincing me."
"So rather than trying to buy a house this very moment, why don't you just move for now, since you're in danger, and we think it over a little more? I'll look into auction properties for you."
"You do auctions, too?"
"Mm. I bought that house at auction. Back when this area still hadn't climbed much."
"Hmm. Then let's talk it through once more when everyone's together. They all need to know now."
Ju Hayeong answered my words with a gentle smile.
"...Of course. I'm looking forward to it. And a little worried, too..."
"Worried? Why?"
"...Well. They were all so pretty..."
"You're pretty too, Hayeong. Don't think like that."
"...Thank you."
Thanks to Ju Hayeong, the vague helplessness I'd been carrying seemed to ease. I knew plenty of odds and ends, but none of it ran deep—that was my weakness—and it felt as if she could fill in the parts I didn't know.
"Then... mind if I ask you to?"
"...As much as you like. I was bored at the shop anyway. This works out."
"For a place to stay in the meantime, I'm thinking somewhere around Anyang."
"Anyang?"
"Yeah. There's something there I need to look after right now."
"Got it. Budget?"
"Around two hundred million won, and I still haven't touched that loan reserved for Multimales. The limit's something like five hundred million, I think. For income, the steady part right now is the hourly pay here plus the support stipend, and I'm not sure what happens with the unemployment benefits."
Ju Hayeong nodded, then smiled and drew my arm in even closer.
"...Thank you for trusting me. I'll find a few and send them over."
"Don't thank me. If anything, I hadn't even thought of living together that way. Places like that—liens and all—aren't they complicated?"
"That's only the ones that ran into trouble mid-construction. We just have to find a property where everything's already been cleared. Buying something with a messy title and sorting it out yourself is what people do when they're chasing a profit. We're planning to actually live there, aren't we?"
"That's true."
"I'll look carefully for something safe and simple."
"Please do. By the way."
"Hm?"
"Then I shouldn't be taking hourly pay from here anymore, should I?"
"Ah—wh-why not?"
I smiled at how quickly she answered and went on.
"You're my woman now, Hayeong. I've got my pride, too. I can't take pocket money from my own woman."
"Th-that's not pocket money. It's not like—"
"I'll still come in to work, but the money's fine now. I'll figure that part out myself."
"...Ah... I shouldn't have said anything..."
At the sight of her pouting, I quietly caught her lips between my fingers and tugged.
"Ow, ow..."
"Then we'll do it that way?"
"...Okay."
With that I drained the iced Americano in one go and stood. It was already past two-thirty. By the time I arrived it would be after three. I needed to hurry before that brute of a bear, all strength and no restraint, went on a rampage.
"You're leaving...?"
"Yeah. I've got a workout scheduled. Oh—right."
I explained the broadcast appearance two weeks out to Ju Hayeong as well. She trailed after me toward the office like Toto, but cute wasn't a bad thing. And a moment ago she'd had a bit of an older-sister air about her, too. Leaning against the office wall, watching me dress, Ju Hayeong nodded.
"I knew it. I thought something was off, too."
"About what?"
"I kept wondering why people like that would just leave you alone."
"Come on. It's not that big a deal. You're building me up too much."
"I mean it, though... You're really going to be all right?"
"Yeah. I'm just doing it for the YouTube money. It'll take some time, but they say once you find your footing it comes in like a pension. It might not work out. There'll be some impressive people on there."
"The way I see it, it'll probably go well."
"Even better, then. We'll reach our goal that much sooner."
"...Yeah."
Ju Hayeong took a step closer and straightened my clothes. I looked down at her and murmured.
"Are you really all right with moving out to the outskirts, Hayeong?"
"I'll try to find somewhere as close to Seoul as I can, but I'd actually like it better, you know?"
"Huh?"
"Why do you make money, Shinwoo?"
At that I met the eyes looking up at me and fell into thought.
"In the end, isn't it so I can be happy when I'm old?"
"And what does happy even mean? I earn money because I want to grow old fishing by the sea."
"Pretty similar. I like the ocean, too. And I'd want a dog while I'm at it."
"Right? So is that dream impossible to have right now?"
"...Hmm. If I just had a steady income, it'd be possible, wouldn't it?"
"And if you had someone you l-loved, too?"
"...I get it."
"See? Having a lot of money is nice, but in the end you want it so you can be happy. We already have everything we need for that. I don't think the others will worry just because we move a little farther out. Getting into Seoul isn't as hard as it used to be."
"...Right."
"Good. Then..."
I pressed a quiet kiss to the forehead of the woman still looking at me. When I simply gazed at her without a word, Ju Hayeong lowered her eyes and went on in a trembling voice.
"...D-do your best today, too."
"You too, Hayeong. And... I'll be looking forward to the photo."
"...Ah!"
Startled, Ju Hayeong covered her chest. I narrowed my eyes and murmured, deliberately teasing her.
"...You're not, are you?"
"I-I'm not! D-don't worry... ah?"
The way her voice suddenly climbed at the end told me she hadn't paid any attention today, either. That was fine. It just gave me something to tease her with.
"If I had the time, I'd check right now."
"...I-I'll really pull myself together..."
"Let's save it as tonight's entertainment. I'll be looking forward to it."
"...Ah..."
Stepping out of the office, I glanced back.
"No changing. Stay exactly as you are now."
"...O-okay..."
"Then I'm off."
"...Mm."
In truth, I didn't care if she changed. It was only a little device so she wouldn't eat her meals feeling gloomy, and if Ju Hayeong knew how to enjoy this, she would certainly keep her word.
...What is this?
The moment I stepped into the gym, my feet stopped. Not because the place was packed with people. Because it was still completely empty. It looked nothing like yesterday's response, and for a second worry hit me.
Was I wrong?
If so, this was a bust. Had I overestimated myself more than I thought? Figures. There was no way I alone—and a handful of posts on Instagram and the local community boards, at that—could fill a gym this big.
No. It'll be fine. Trust it.
Even so, I forced myself to rally. Only the first day had passed. If even half of what I'd seen at the cafe carried over, there was still plenty of potential. That was when it happened.
"Oh, hyung. You're here?"
Changsu came out of the office with an ice cream in his mouth and greeted me. I greeted him back as I walked over.
"Were you all right yesterday? Coach Rahi said you'd gotten in touch, so I didn't call separately."
"Yeah. Better than I expected. But why's the gym this empty?"
"Ah, this neighborhood's something else, you know?"
"Huh?"
"The owner says the kids' moms are all in those elite licensed jobs. Yesterday was the first time I'd ever actually seen a judge. There isn't a single college student. If they're not outsiders who came to see us, it's nothing but kids."
"...Is that even possible?"
"That's what they say, so what can I tell you. Anyway, the morning was all right, but from about eleven until the first class at three, it's probably going to stay quiet."
"Different from what I expected, I'll give you that."
Thank god. Unlike what I'd feared, the people around here were just busy during the day. I let out a breath, started walking, and pulled the car keys from my pocket to hand to Changsu.
"Thanks for the loan. Made things easy."
"It's fine. You use it for a while, hyung."
"Why?"
"I rushed out and rented one this morning."
"A rental?"
When I tilted my head, Changsu answered through a yawn.
"Ah, sorry. I crashed for a bit after lunch."
"It's fine."
"I rented a van this morning. Had to get it in a hurry, so it cost a bit."
"For two days?"
"No. Once I saw how many kids registered yesterday, I figured this wasn't going to work. Drop-offs home are fine—some of the parents said they'd come get them themselves—but they want pickups from the other academies. Once the wrapping's done, I think we'll have to run both vehicles."
"How many registered yesterday, for you to say that?"
"Seventy kids, and over twenty adults."
It was a number that stopped me without my meaning to. More than I'd expected. I would have been plenty satisfied with fifty in total. At this rate, the three of us might not be enough.
"...What? That many?"
"Yeah. Consultations alone ran until ten last night. In the end we sent the people who came late home, saying we'd contact them separately."
"True, a lot of people did show up. So the slots are full?"
"We drew a cutoff at a hundred among ourselves, but even now it looks pretty tight to me."
"The registration rate is good, I'll say that."
"Right? They'd all already made up their minds before they got here. Oh, and."
"Hm?"
"The moms split into two camps. The ones who want their kids taught properly, and the ones who just want their stamina built up. Taekwondo was never like this."
Fair enough. What we'd advertised in the first place had leaned heavily on looking after the kids. I hadn't expected anyone to actually ask us to teach them properly. Still, if we were calling ourselves a kickboxing gym, we ought to do it right.
"Think Rahi can handle it alone?"
"Probably not. I can take the stamina-only group myself, but if the numbers climb any higher than this... I have to drive, too."
"All right. If it gets tight, I'll help."
"I'm not joking. You might have to drive too, hyung."
"Still, it's a shame we turned those kids away yesterday. We ought to be taking in as many as we can right now."
"That's what I wanted to say. The talk's been leaning toward hiring one more person."
I squinted at the sly, greasy grin on Changsu's face. That disgusting smile meant he was scheming something.
"...Judging by that face, I've got a bad feeling."
"...Heh."
"Who is it? It's definitely someone I know."
"The Professor."
"...Why him?"
"You don't know? He may only be amateur junior, but he's a flyweight boxing gold medalist."
"...Him?"
"Yeah. That's why the guys don't mess with him. You're the only one who ever chewed him out, hyung. I honestly thought you must've taken out a pile of insurance."
"First I'm hearing of it."
"...See, pay a little attention to the guys. They all like you."
"And how would you know that?"
"We were at the facility together. He's two years my junior, but they hyped him like crazy as the hope of Korean boxing."
"So why'd he quit?"
"Ah, that. He dropped a bomb on the news—said how was he supposed to make a living off sports, and that he was going to college."
"...And the school he ended up at was Hansung University?"
"So they say."
"A royal pain, as expected. There goes my appetite."
"You're pretty similar, you know, hyung?"
"You're a pain, too. Merciless talent freaks. Anyway—so he's got some breathing room now? Since when do grad students stay alive long enough to finish a sentence?"
"More like he's in the middle of coming back to life? They say his doctoral thesis passed. He bought himself some time and plans to mess around for about a year."
"Then why mess around here? Just go travel. Or enlist."
"I told him that, but..."
I stared quietly at Changsu, who was watching my face. Somehow, I already knew what was coming.