Gym Class and Physical Beauty
Time flew by, and before they knew it, the noisy classroom had fallen silent during the break before fourth period. The girls started glancing nervously at the boys. At our prestigious private high school, Seong-eun High School, it was the unwritten rule that boys changed in the classroom while girls squeezed into the cramped changing room in the corner of the hallway. Naturally, the girls pouted in frustration, but even in that situation, I was dead to the world, lost in sleep.
"Hey, hey, wake up. It's PE—we gotta change."
Kang Eun-ho's voice pulled me from the depths of slumber.
"Ugh, this is such a pain..."
I scrunched up my face and opened my eyes to the murmuring classroom. Suppressing the laziness bubbling up from deep inside, I hauled myself up from my chair. With all these girls chased off to the changing room and us three guys hogging the classroom... what a waste of space. Anyway, class was starting soon, so I needed to change into my gym clothes quick.
I yanked off my shirt—
"……!!"
"Gasp!"
In an instant, the noisy room went dead silent, like someone had dumped ice water on it.
I looked up casually and flinched. Thirty girls were holding their breath, staring at my bare torso with eyes gleaming like starving beasts.
What's up? Why are they staring like that?
Oh, right... My battle-hardened abs and solid pecs, forged from unloading trucks at the logistics center and hauling boxes at the big mart, must look pretty tempting. But come on, it's just a guy shirtless—what's the big deal?
From the class president covering her mouth with a flushed face to the ones openly fixated, it was quite the spectacle.
That's when Kang Eun-ho, who grasped the severity first, came rushing over in horror.
"You idiot! The girls haven't all left yet!"
He hurriedly threw his gym jersey over my bare skin. I replied, clueless.
"Why? Class is starting soon. Gotta change quick and—oh."
Right. This was a gender-reversed world. In my original world's terms, it was like the boys hadn't left and a girl stripped off her uniform... and that girl was the 'sweet cool beauty boy'? Hmm. That could be a problem.
"Hey, you girls, get out! We need to change!"
"Y-yeah! Come on, girls, let's go. We gotta change too."
Unable to withstand the flustered class president and Kang Eun-ho's scolding, the girls filed out reluctantly, their eyes lingering on me like they were dripping with regret.
Hmm... Gotta be more careful. No plans to turn into some virgin bitch magnet... Just think of this as a one-time service. Coming from my original world, stripping my top didn't embarrass me much anyway.
"Ha... the Seong-eun High Anonymous Gallery is gonna explode again..."
I grabbed my gym clothes from the locker, ignoring Kang Eun-ho's sigh. But what came out was something totally unexpected.
"...Hey, Kang Eun-ho."
"Yeah? What."
"Is this a swimsuit?"
What I pinched between my fingers was a bright red, super-short pair of shorts. Even being generous, they wouldn't cover half of my thighs—an ultra-mini hot pant.
"Swimsuit? Nah, it's our school's gym uniform. Why, scared of showing your legs now?"
Beyond Eun-ho's teasing, Lee Jae-min was already wearing his tiny hot pants, meticulously applying sunscreen to every exposed inch from thighs to arms, flaunting his leg lines.
I glared at the palm-sized shorts with a deep sense of reality crashing down.
This insane school. Prestigious private high school, my ass. Cutting corners on fabric to make pants like this?
And the material clung like leggings—would my sword even be hidden? Is this okay...?
My brain froze for a moment, but what choice did I have? If I wanted to go to class, I had to wear it. Resigned, I shoved both legs into the one-handspan shorts. The hem clung tight above my thighs, not even reaching my knees. I bent and straightened my legs to test.
But...
"Oh... actually pretty comfy? Breezy too. Nice."
Embarrassment? Shame making me clamp my legs? Nonsense for a real man. Back at the summer logistics center, cool and sweat-free was king. Short? So what—cool is cool~
The gym class began under the blazing sun on the field.
"Kyaa! Do-hyun, look at him! Insane!"
"No way, Han Do-hyun's leg muscles? So sexy..."
"Hey, Jae-minnie and Eun-ho have such pretty legs too? I wanna bury my face in them..."
"...Enrolling in this school was the best decision of my life."
Ignoring the fawning squeals from all around, the PE teacher—figuring it wasn't a core subject anyway—tossed the ball out and headed to the staff room, telling us to do whatever.
I figured I'd do something, but it was a hassle, so I lay on the bleachers. The girls playing basketball kept shooting glances my way nonstop. My smooth calves and firm thighs peeking coolly from under the hot pants seemed to rile up our class beasts plenty.
But I ignored the stares, just basking in the sunlight. Were they really playing basketball that leisurely...? Look, one's even passing to the other team.
After photosynthesizing like that for a while, Kang Eun-ho approached.
"Hey, don't just sit there—wanna play dodgeball with us?"
"Dodgeball? What kinda lame sport is that..."
"Quit whining and come on."
We arrived to find eighteen girls already gathered, holding balls and warming up.
"What, so many people? Why drag me into this?"
"It was 18 without you, so I brought you to make it even."
Hmm... okay, got it. Can't be helped if I'm just filler.
And so, Class 3's impromptu friendly dodgeball game began, with me dragged in unwittingly. Glancing across the court, Lee Jae-min was already in his tiny hot pants, legs crossed daintily as he did an exaggerated cute(?) stretch. Every time he twirled his wrist, the girls opposite screamed.
"Kyaa! Jae-minnie's so cute! Protect Jae-minnie!"
...What a poser.
I clicked my tongue and rolled my shoulders. Annoying as it was, stepping onto the court strangely ignited my part-timer's competitive spirit. My dynamic vision and reflexes, honed snatching heavy parcels like frisbees in the warehouse... No matter how strong these girls were in this crazy world, could they match my real-world reflexes?
Today, I'd show them the might of K-unloading.
The game started with my resolve. A burly girl on the other side grabbed the ball. Her eyes sharpened, and she hurled a heavy dodgeball straight at me, lounging indifferently in the corner.
Whoosh—!
The ball cut through the air viciously. Fast pitch, but to me, it was slow-mo, crystal clear.
Perfect trajectory. Southeast wind. Backspin. Straight for my solar plexus.
I lowered my stance, arms slightly spread. Power to the legs, absorb the impact chest-first at the perfect moment, catch softly. I'd caught 20kg rice bags from trucks like this. Simulation complete in my head.
Slow. At this speed, I can snag it and counter easy—!
"Nooo! Do-hyun, danger!!"
"...Huh?"
Thwack—!!
Suddenly, a huge shadow burst from my blind spot. One of our team's girls leaped in front, taking the ball full to the back and tumbling to the ground.
"Urgh...! Do-hyun... you okay... no injuries...?"
She reached out dreamily from the dirt, like a comrade shot in her place on the battlefield. I was dumbfounded.
"Dude, I had it—why'd you jump in?"
"Good... can't let our sweet cool beauty boy's pale skin... get bruised... urk."
With that madness, she slumped dramatically and was carried out (out).
What the hell was that psycho?
Whether I stood there stunned or not, the other side muttered crap like, "Guh, Han Do-hyun's AT Field...!"
"Oh, really? That's your strategy?"
"Yeah... okay, got it."
As if they'd seen my baffled face, our team's girls lit up with greedy determination, and the game continued. Now their ace grabbed the ball, spinning it wildly for a high arc. Landing spot: right on my head.
Good air time. Step back half, snag it easy from above...
I bent my knees, hands up for perfect timing. Part-timer breath form 11: Gentle waves! Fragile goods get cradled from above!
"Do-hyun, watch out!!"
Thud-thwack! Smack!
"Ow, come on!!"
This time, two at once. The girls on both sides dove like goalie catches, colliding with the falling ball above me. The two beasts rolled in the dirt, kicking up white dust over my hot pants.
"Gah... Do-hyun... we'll protect you..."
"Do-hyun... stay back... cough!"
My patience snapped. Hands on hips, I yelled irritably at the fallen girls in the dust.
"Hey, you idiots! It's not a grenade! I can catch it fine!!"
Despite my max rage shout, the sprawled girls thumbs-upped me and zombie-crawled out of bounds.
This was insane. Why were they targeting only me? Anyway, this ball was a feint. They faked our team, twisted wrist, aimed at my legs.
Curving left at 45 degrees. Targeting my left calf.
I casually pulled my left leg back to dodge. Left alone, it'd roll harmlessly out. But then—
"No! Can't scar Do-hyun's beautiful legs!!"
Thud-thud! Smack!
"Argh, seriously!!"
The class president, loitering in front, slid into the empty space no one would've hit, blocking with her face. Blood trickled from her nose as she grinned at me.
"Hehe... blocked it..."
"No, it'd have missed on its own—why take it to the face!!"
My furious shout echoed across the field. But our class beasts misinterpreted my frustration as 'caring tenderness.' The remaining seven suddenly circled me in formation.
"Hey! Switch to VVIP protection formation!!"
"Defend VVIP Han Do-hyun!! Not one hit!!"
"If even one gets through, we got no reason to live!!"
Before I knew it, I was trapped dead center in a stinking wall of 'human barricade' girls layered thick. Every direction blocked—I couldn't even see the other court.
"Ugh, hot! Move! Can't see the ball!"
I flapped my gym shirt in annoyance, but they steadfastly blocked, body-tanking incoming balls.
Not dodging or catching—just turning themselves into targets to shield me. Every ball headed my way got a "Protect Do-hyun!!" dive. Ten minutes in, I hadn't even brushed a ball with my fingertip.
Frustrating as hell. Let me touch the damn ball! Don't diss my unloading skills!
In my spotless gym clothes, untouched by dust, I furrowed my brow amid the human shields and sighed deeply at the sky.
In the end, with our team down to three against their seven, my annoying human barricades finally wiped out, clearing my view.
"Haa... finally can breathe."
I cracked my neck and stepped to center court. The opponents licked their lips at me.
"Hey, don't hurt Do-hyun! Throw easy!"
"Duh! I'll capture our sweet cool beauty-chan!"
What bullshit. Sweet cool beauty-chan, my ass.
Their ace tossed a light, insulting lob—slow arc, underestimating me.
Tap!
I snagged it one-handed.
"Wha...?"
"Did he just catch it one-handed?"
"You guys ever done unloading?"
I gripped the ball and smirked.
"Haul 500 20kg apple crates a day, and this rubber ball feels like a feather."
Thwack—!!
The ball rocketed from my hand with spin, slamming the ace's chest.
She fumbled the catch, the spin sending it to the ground.
"Aaaack?!"
"Our ace...!"
From then, the field was my stage. Minimal moves to dodge, precise snatches on weak balls like shelf-stocking, then hurl.
Whoosh! Thud! Thwack-thud!
"Kyaa! Do-hyun oppa(?) is insane!!"
"That agile movement! Unreal?!"
Even our last two dove on stray balls, murmuring "Do-hyun... be our fire punch..." and heroically retiring. Now, just me vs. their three.
"Huff... huff..."
"How's his stamina that good?"
"A guy's leaving afterimages dodging...!"
They panted in shock. I was breathing hard too—first real movement in ages, sweat beading. Worst, running long under the sun was killer.
"Ugh, way too hot."
Grumbling irritably, I wiped forehead sweat by yanking up my gym shirt hem and scrubbing my face.
Shh—
The fabric rolled to my chin, baring those classroom heart-bombers: defined abs and pecs, defenseless under the sun. Sweat beads glistened on flawless pale skin, sunlight dazzling off it.
"......!!"
"......!!!"
"......!!!!"
Instantly, the three panting girls opposite froze like statues. Eyes locked below my solar plexus, pupils popping like popcorn.
"Wha... wha...?"
"Abs...? Insane..."
"Never thought I'd see pecs that perfect... slurp."
Plop.
One's ball rolled limply from her hand. Then—
Drip—
"Gah, your nosebleed!"
"You're bleeding too, you freak...! Aah... too bright..."
"Han Do-hyun... so tasty... nah, good life..."
Thud! Thud! Thud!
All three gushed twin nosebleeds and collapsed backward, faces ecstatic like cult converts, passing out staring at the sky.
Beep—!!
"Opposing team all KO! Han Do-hyun wins!"
The class president—whistle somehow procured—shouted triumphantly (or excitedly?) across the field.
"......?"
I dropped my shirt, standing confused.
Suddenly what's up? Heatstroke?
These kids' stamina sucked. Ten minutes of dodgeball and they all collapse from heat? I swept back my sweaty bangs and walked off court. What a hassle and tiring PE class.
At the same time, under the wisteria shade of the bleachers.
Kang Ha-ri, current apex of Seong-eun High's sports scene and conqueror of first-years, sprayed her ion drink like a fountain.
Drip—
It ran down her chin, but she didn't notice. Her sharp cat eyes fixed on Han Do-hyun trudging off the field. Or rather, replaying the afterimage of his defined abs and pale waist, bared so carelessly moments ago.
"Insane... how's a grown guy so careless! Men should act proper!"
She tsked at his crude(?) behavior, but her cool water-scented poise cracked—cheeks and ears blazing like they'd explode. Contrary to her words, she obsessively etched every detail: sweat trickling down thighs under hot pants, broad back visible through the gym shirt.
The sporty girl, usually indifferent to guys, felt interest in a 'man' for the first time today.
"Haa... Han Do-hyun... right?"
Her lips curved faintly into a smile as she watched his retreating back, face flushed red.