The Little One
"I went and told her you were here, hyung."
"......You truly mean to betray me."
"Hehe. What? Come on. She's exactly your type, isn't she?"
He wasn't wrong. Slim and willowy, she wore a gown and long, straight hair as if they'd been made for her—foxlike eyes, a fine nose, pretty lips, and a smile that lit them beautifully. All of that, minus the way her face went blank and cold every time she looked at me. Whatever Chang-soo claimed, the only thing I could remember was an air that all but shouted how much she disliked me.
"......Shut up. I've been busy lately."
"Aww, but a Multimale has duties."
"Since when is that a thing?"
"Hey now. You're supposed to pitch in on the birth rate as soon as possible. That's what the benefits are for. You've still got a long way to go. We don't have to hit 2.0 like America, but we ought to at least match Japan."
"......And you're the one handing those benefits out?"
"I'm a taxpaying citizen. I think I'm allowed to say my piece."
"......I'm working on it, so quit teasing me."
"Knew it. I thought I smelled perfume. So last night, too......?"
Some of Ju Hayeong must have rubbed off on me when she held my arm. Enough that I wanted to ask if he was a dog. It wasn't especially awkward—Chang-soo and I had talked like this before—but there was still an order to these things.
"......Tell Rahi first."
"Oh, a new face. Classic. You're killing it."
"I told you not to say that."
"Aw, why? All the kids say it."
"Right. Kids say it. You're not a kid."
"Haaah. Young fogey, right here."
The fogey crack made me flare for a second. My age had been gnawing at me lately, and I'd just hooked an arm around Chang-soo's neck when Rahi came out of the office, brushing her teeth.
"Shinwoo."
"Oh. Rahi."
The bright smile she sent me took the edge off. I nodded at the toothbrush she pointed to, then let Chang-soo go. The sense of connection and welcome coming off her softened me in turn; I was starting to get a feel for how this bond actually registered. That was when Chang-soo, still thrashing, slipped free of my arm.
"Hack—hack. Seriously. Hyung, how are you this strong?"
"Or maybe you're just weak?"
"......I am not. You don't see these healthy arms? I throw some weight around, I'll have you know. Actually, wait a second."
His eyes narrowed as he looked me over, and I tensed despite myself. Sharp kid. Had he caught something off?
"Hyung, how'd you drop so much weight? Your side's like rock. Rock. You taking something? Whoa—look at that skin. I knew it was good, but now it's actually glowing."
"......Praising me now, are you?"
"Hehe. Guess they were right. Nothing's a better tonic than quitting your job. Hyung, what are you using on your face? I'm switching to that."
I didn't even put on lotion, but it crossed my mind that insisting a routine had done it would land better than the truth. I knew next to nothing about cosmetics, so I dumped out every scrap I'd ever half heard. A lie, and I was sorry for it—but he could use the stuff. From now on, anyway.
"Use the Hansung line. Lotion, toner, night cream, moisturizer. And always wear sunscreen."
"Playing it safe, I see. What about eye cream?"
"......I don't use any."
"Want me to recommend one? I've got something that actually worked for me. And for skin repair, they say the brown bottle......"
Talking about this with Chang-soo was still a little awkward, but I was going to have to get used to it. At least it didn't raise the hairs on my neck the way it used to.
"I'm gonna change."
"Okay. Want to run together?"
"Sure. I'll be right back."
"Okaaay."
I almost nagged him not to drag out the ends of his words, then let it go with a laugh. Passing the office, I knocked and peeked in. Go Yewon was at the desk, riffling through papers with a pen tucked under her nose and her lips pushed out, and our eyes met.
"Oh—Shinwoo, you're here?"
I smiled and waved at the brightness she turned on me. She looked far more at ease than yesterday.
"Yes. Hello. I heard it went well?"
"Yes. Really...... it's all thanks to you."
"Then why the face?"
"I'm trying to memorize the kids' names. I'm terrible with names."
"That's a good way to do it."
"......I know. It's hard, but I'm happy."
"Well. You've only put out the fire in front of you. The real problem starts now. I heard you're hiring one more instructor?"
"Yes. I think we can actually pay everyone now."
"Don't you still need a little more?"
"If we get this many sign-ups on the first day, it's enough."
I smiled and nodded at that pretty, smiling face. Her feelings didn't reach me the way Ju Hayeong's or Rahi's did, but I was glad to see no shadow on it.
"Then I'll go change."
"Shinwoo."
I was about to shut the office door when she stopped me. I turned, and she smiled softly before she spoke.
"......Thank you. I won't forget."
"This is only the beginning. You know keeping it going is the hard part?"
"Yes. Even so."
"Once the kids lose interest, they all quit together. Just watch out for that."
"I know. I'll work hard."
"You're the director, Yewon. You don't have to be that way with me."
"......Okay."
I met her eyes as she answered, quiet. The look she was giving me wanted something.
Hmm. Maybe I should give her a little something.
"Come here."
"......Ah......"
Color rose in her face, and she was out of the chair at once. She swallowed, stepped up in front of me, and I kissed her—gentle, and still.
"Haa......"
It had been the lightest of kisses. The moment my lips left hers, she let out a wistful sigh. I stroked her cheek and whispered.
"......Work hard today."
"......Okay......"
I closed the door with care and left the office. I'd changed in the locker room and was coming back out when I startled despite myself—Rahi, leaning on the wall with a tablet hugged to her folded arms. Trainer Mode Rahi.
"......If you're already in that mode, I'm in trouble. I'm going to rest and come back."
"No. This is the only time we have."
"I—I haven't even run yet!"
"We'll do it together. Hurry up. We have to hit mitts today, too."
"Mitts already? Wh-what about shadowboxing? I still can't even kick......"
"Do that later, when I'm busy. Kicks can come along slowly."
"Kgh."
I backed up without thinking, and she caught me by the collar, drawing me in as she looked at me. The confident eyes and the firm set of her mouth—rare on her—were honestly pretty sexy. The rough hands, less so.
"Guhk—huff......"
"Stop. It's been thirty minutes. One minute of rest, then I'm wrecking your abs first today."
"Huff, huff...... Wreck what."
"Your abs, Shinwoo. Brace yourself."
"What are you so mad about?"
"......One lone text, and that was it. You like making people worry like that?"
"......Then just say so......"
I didn't even have the breath to grumble. I'd had to sprint like a hamster on a wheel at twice my usual pace, and I was sweating through every inch of me. Chang-soo, who'd offered to run with me, took one look at Rahi's eyes, backed away, and fled into the office. Not a scrap of loyalty in him. And then Trainer Mode Rahi—who had not a scrap of flexibility, either—spoke.
"Rest's over."
"I told you nothing happened."
"You could've at least said something. Didn't I beg you to keep in touch?"
"......That's fair."
"You could've called once. I was up all night with my heart in my throat, wondering if something had happened to you."
"......Could you let go of my neck before you say that?"
The hand hauling me along was implacable. She walked me to the long chair against the gym wall and pointed.
"Lie down."
"......Yes, ma'am......"
I lay back as told. She drew my legs up together, sat down on my insteps, then wrapped both arms softly around my calves and whispered.
"......I'm glad you're safe."
"Getting gentle all of a sudden, in this position. Did you plan this?"
"As if. Get up. Right now. One set of thirty."
"......Not even a needle's getting through, huh."
"Hurry. One."
I sighed and started to sit up, slow, the way she ordered. Her face drew nearer, her hips settled over my insteps, and the soft give of her body pressed my shins—and I swallowed before I could stop myself. Every time I rose, though, I could see the strain enter her face, and the color climbing with it.
"Two."
"......Are we really doing it like this?"
"......No talking during the workout. Three."
"You really didn't plan this?"
"......I didn't. Four."
"We don't even have to use this chair."
There was a sit-up bench right beside us. She was starting to dodge my eyes, both cheeks gone pink, and it was a little cute. A moment ago she hadn't shown a hint of this, and now the faintly sulky Rahi was cute. I could feel, too, that she wasn't only angry.
"......Fi-five."
"You're really not going to?"
"......Six......"
"Okay. Fine...... hup......"
Seven was the end of her patience. The moment I lifted my torso, she cupped my cheek as if she'd been waiting and met my mouth. The angle was a little awkward, but maybe she'd had a fantasy about this exact scene from some famous drama. Even if she hadn't—well, I didn't mind the position either.
"......I really was worried."
"Yeah. I should've thought of that. It didn't look as dangerous as I expected."
"......I'm glad."
"Mm. Oh, and I've got something to tell you."
"Yes?"
"Remember the café owner?"
"Yes."
"I slept with her last night."
"Really?"
"Yeah. That's how it went. And I had her register this morning."
"All right. I should introduce myself later."
"Don't worry too much. She's got a good heart."
"I'm actually relieved. I was afraid something might happen if you were on your own."
"What something."
"I'm a woman too, and you wouldn't believe how many unhinged ones there are. Yesterday Yewon and I were sorting paperwork and fixing the curriculum, so I couldn't even go home."
"You were?"
"Yes. One."
I started to lie back at her count and stopped.
"......Why one?"
"You rested."
She looked at me with a bright little smile, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, and I had nothing to say.
"......Unbelievable."
"Hurry. We have to finish inside thirty minutes. Two."
I clenched my teeth at the count that followed and kept lying down and sitting up in time with her.
"......I think I'm gonna snap......"
"You didn't snap. Still—you really are something, Shinwoo. A man doing a hundred and fifty isn't easy."
"......So you finally admit it. I told you to take it easy."
I grumbled at her while she fiddled with the tablet, but mid-workout Rahi didn't hear a word of it. That was when—
"H-hello......"
A boy's voice carried from the entrance, and Chang-soo, already seated in a corner of the gym, called back at once.
"When you come in, loud and full of spirit! Repeat after me. Hello!"
"Ah—hello!"
"That's it. You're early. Come on in. Using the locker room?"
"Yes...... Mom said to give you this......"
"Then change, put your bag away, and come back."
"Okaaay......"
"Minsu, right?"
"Yes......"
"Come on. I'll show you."
He winked at us as he led the boy toward the locker room, and Rahi dropped her voice.
"We should hurry. Legs later—mitts first."
"Okay. But yesterday all I did was the one-two."
"Yes. That's all you need to do. I'll bring the gloves, so go up in the ring and wait."
"Okay."
She rose from my insteps with a hint of regret and slipped into the storage room beside the office. I let out a light breath and rubbed my stomach. A moment ago it had hurt like it was tearing. Now it was nothing at all.