If You're Gonna Brag, Pony Up - Somang Taekwondo
Somang Taekwondo. And right next door was the newly opened Sora Taekwondo. The names were eerily similar. And the reason behind the names was the same too. One was named after a daughter called Somang, the other after a daughter named Sora.
The owner of Sora Taekwondo, Master Seok, flashed a grin.
"Haha, you're right, ma'am. Kids these days are super sensitive about their reps. They want lots of friends, and... not to badmouth the place next door, but the facilities are kinda outdated, and the kids keep calling it 'Beggar Taekwondo.'"
One of the parents who sent her kid to Somang Taekwondo had stopped by. Master Seok hit her with his friendly salesman smile and pitch.
"Of course, Somang next door has great people from the master on down... but..."
He seemed to be giving a polite nod to the neighboring dojo. But then the tone shifted.
"Thing is, with all the physical activity, fresh mats and gear make a big difference. Kids get hurt in the blink of an eye—who knows where or how."
Master Seok was subtly trashing the rundown Somang Taekwondo. Safety concerns. The equipment there wasn't that ancient, truth be told. But who cared?
Moms only look at the exterior anyway. Butter 'em up with the right words, and they eat it up.
And just like that, the word spread through the mom network.
"I don't wanna send my kids to Somang anymore, even after all this time. But they're full of energy, bouncing around—if one gets hurt?"
That was the playbook. Plant the seed of worry among the clueless parents, and the bad buzz about Somang Taekwondo spread. Even that shameful nickname "Beggar Taekwondo" caught on the same way.
"Kids are sensitive these days. I hear they're calling Somang 'Beggar Taekwondo' among themselves. It's actually a good place, though."
Master Seok would drop that to parents, and through them, the rumors slithered out indirectly. Kids, being pure, just absorbed the adults' words. It got to the point where you couldn't tell if the rumors came first or his whispers—like the old chicken-or-egg debate.
No need for two taekwondo dojos in this little neighborhood.
That was Master Seok's thinking. A rolling stone gathers no moss, but it can push out the one already there. Somang had survived this long without competition.
Places that stagnate like that gotta go.
That was progress(?), right? Master Seok thought so. And things were unfolding just as he planned, bit by bit.
So Kim Taeksu, the instructor at Somang Taekwondo, let out a sigh.
"Hoo."
He had no clue about Master Seok's schemes. He just knew the rumors buzzing among the kids and parents.
If this keeps up, we're really done for...
His heart was heavy. But he couldn't show it now. He was meeting an old friend after ages.
The same street stall where he'd comforted Shin Jaewoo before.
"...You here?"
Kim Taeksu gave Shin Jaewoo a casual greeting as he walked in.
Shin Jaewoo pondered.
I'd love to bring him on board, but...
Kim Taeksu. And actually, there was one more.
Gotta call Jiwan too.
Word was Park Jiwan still hadn't landed steady work. Before job hunting, he was doing day labor and unloading parcels.
Better he work for me than that.
Problem's his pride, though.
Park Jiwan had more pride than even Kim Taeksu. Would he really come work under him? Shin Jaewoo wasn't sure.
Don't wanna mess up the friendship dynamic either.
So no concrete plans yet. He'd probably just planned to grab drinks like old times with Taeksu.
That kind of casual hangout. But Shin Jaewoo's expression shifted subtly.
No matter how you slice it, he looks like something's up...
That was his read staring at Kim Taeksu. Right as the thought of that dark cloud over his face hit, Taeksu spotted him.
"...You here?"
The gloom vanished from Kim Taeksu's face.
"Yeah."
"Cool. Heard you're raking it in these days, but soju's still good, right?"
Shin Jaewoo couldn't help a smirk. Hiding his cash flow was getting impossible. And yeah, he was making bank.
This round alone, 200 billion won.
Of course, he'd cough up about half to taxes, but still.
"Duh."
Shin Jaewoo said lightly. Sure, he'd sampled fancy beds, houses, cars since the money hit, but pricey liquor? Nah. Street stall soju or beer suited him fine. Wine or whiskey? Not his vibe.
Might change once I try 'em.
Probably would. Word was top-shelf stuff had no hangovers.
Not buying it fully, but.
For now, simple soju and beer fit them perfect.
"Auntie, soju bottle here. Add some fish cake stew and blood sausage."
"Got it."
Kim Taeksu ordered like always—their usual spread. Shin Jaewoo sat.
"Heard you went to Daejeon?"
"Yup. Shoulda dragged you along?"
Daejeon talk right off the bat. Both him and Taeksu had come up to Seoul from there.
"How was it?"
"Same old."
"Heard Do-hoon's dad had that accident?"
The big Daejeon news: Kim Sun-woong's car crash. Friend Kim Do-hoon's father.
And he'd nearly been pinned as the at-fault driver by the cops.
"Yeah. Lucky he wasn't hurt bad. Handled smooth."
"...Yeah. Do-hoon said you pulled strings."
Shin Jaewoo's face flushed awkwardly at that.
"Knew you'd make it big someday."
Coming from a buddy, it felt embarrassing. He downed a shot to shake it off.
Ugh.
Set the glass down. Reached for a snack, but Taeksu's face flashed back.
Ask direct? He'd dodge.
Between friends, better to poke with buddy talk.
"Hey."
Shin Jaewoo poured another.
"...Heard about Nemo Enter?"
"Nemo Enter? Why? It's been all over the news—how could I miss it?"
Kim Taeksu shot back casually, puzzled. But his sharp memory and their history clicked it.
"Wait, Nemo... isn't that where your little sis trained?"
He remembered Kim Minseo was a trainee at Nemo Entertainment. Taeksu's face hardened. Shin Jaewoo could guess the worry.
"...Minseo's fine, from what I hear. Not sure if it's real or just talk."
"...Fucking scum. Got what they deserved."
Shin Jaewoo gave a wry smile at that.
"Karma, huh... Yeah, if that's karma, sure."
Maybe heaven gave him the power to punish them for his grudge. Shin Jaewoo didn't wanna go that religious.
Changed the subject.
"I... shorted 'em."
"...What?"
Perfect convo for Taeksu. Shin Jaewoo knew he'd get it. Taeksu had dabbled in stocks, and crypto till recently.
Knows his stuff, but always loses money...
Perpetual red ink—that was Taeksu. So he'd grasp "short" instantly.
"No way you..."
"I kicked off the short selling. Bought puts after and cashed in."
"...Fuck."
Cousin's land purchase makes your belly ache. Taeksu asked,
"How much?"
His pupils shook. Shin Jaewoo shrugged nonchalantly.
"Little over 200 billion."
"Fuck. Insane. You bastard."
Taeksu's curses flew, like old friendships be damned. Envy burned in his eyes.
Not really, though.
"Thought you got every raw deal in the world, but nah—you're the golden boy."
From raw deal to jackpot. Fit Shin Jaewoo's life spot-on. Broke company, cheating ex not long ago.
Now snapping fingers for 200 bil.
Taeksu said,
"...Hey."
"Yeah?"
"Gimme some cash."
Hard to tell if he meant it.
"If you're gonna brag, pony up for the brag."
Shin Jaewoo grinned. Exactly what he'd hoped to hear.
He's different from Jiwan.
Park Jiwan would never say it. And deep down, neither would Taeksu. Something was up with him.
Needs money. Bad enough to swallow pride—probably family-related.
"How much?"
"100,000 won."
"...?"
"You pay for drinks today, asshole. No early exit. We're getting wrecked."
Ah, he'd underestimated Taeksu. Not the type to beg just 'cause a friend's loaded.
We're good.
Shin Jaewoo laughed. Feed him drinks like he said.
Booze'll loosen his tongue on whatever's bugging him.
Getting Taeksu to spill was tough. But booze was the way.
They poured and drank. Shin Jaewoo sipped lightly, pretending.
No forcing it on him.
"Ugh. Burns."
An hour passed. Athletic guy, held his liquor well. Naturally, a call came.
Joo Somang. Taeksu's girlfriend.
"Sister-in-law? Oh, Jaewoo here. Taeksu's out drinking with me..."
"Lately... a new gym opened next door."
And Joo Somang wasn't as tough as Taeksu. Shin Jaewoo could hear it all. Rival gym popping up. Rumors spreading after. Kids switching dojos.
He listened and thought,
Not hard to fix.
Simple solution.