Two Women, Meeting
Jiyoung followed Sehee toward the gym with hesitant, timid steps, her eyes filled with anxiety.
The gym was packed with more than ten tall, lean people, and their mere presence alone exerted an overwhelming pressure on Jiyoung.
On top of that, every single one of them seemed to be extremely outgoing. They chatted nonstop with bright laughter, clapping their hands together in delight.
“Jiyoung unnie! Did you bring a water bottle from home?”
“Ah, no… I didn’t…”
“Then drink from mine later! There aren’t any cups at the water dispenser here, so from next time on you’ve got to bring your own!”
At some point Sehee had naturally started calling her “unnie” and stuck close, showing no hesitation about physical contact. Jiyoung could only wear a troubled expression, completely unable to adjust to this level of closeness.
Just then, Hyejung stepped in front of everyone, clapped her hands sharply, and shouted in a powerful voice.
“Whoaaa! She’s so cute! Newbie is the best!”
The members swarmed around Jiyoung, showering her with the typical loud enthusiasm of social butterflies and cheering wildly.
Overwhelmed by embarrassment, Jiyoung couldn’t even lift her head. She stood trembling in front of them, barely managing to speak.
“U-um… hello… My name is Park Jiyoung… I’m an astronomy major, class of 2018…”
“Whoa! Astronomy? That’s the same department as Hyejung! That’s insane!”
Once again the group exploded into exaggerated excitement over nothing, clapping noisily and bursting into loud laughter.
…Is this the heat of the social butterflies…? I haven’t felt anything like this in years, so I have zero immunity… I feel like I’m going to burn up and turn to ash…
While Jiyoung stood there in a daze, completely lost, Hyejung suddenly turned to her with a gentle smile and asked carefully.
“…I’m sorry, are you a senior in my department? I didn’t recognize you since it’s our first time meeting.”
“Ah, y-yes… that’s right… Nice to meet you… haha…”
“No, I should be the one greeting you properly. I’m class of 2021. It’s an honor, sunbae.”
Hyejung gave Jiyoung a polite bow, then quickly noticed how uncomfortable she looked in front of everyone. She wrapped up the introduction and sent her back to her spot.
That alone was enough to earn Jiyoung’s huge favor.
…Her tone is a little blunt, but she’s clearly a really good person… Ha, if only every social butterfly in the world was as considerate as her…
Jiyoung sat with her knees together, crouched down, and scanned the people around her as she thought.
Soon, Hyejung had everyone do some light warm-up stretches before launching into the day’s actual workout schedule.
“Everyone warmed up? Then today’s program is 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, 100 lunges with a weight plate, and finally 100 pull-ups. Shall we pair up and start with sit-ups first?”
“Yeees~!”
Jiyoung widened her eyes in disbelief, doubting her own ears.
What? Wait, wait a second.
Did I just hear that wrong? Or does “100 reps” mean something completely different here than what I think it does…?
“Unnie! Let’s do it together!”
Sehee approached with an innocent, bright smile. Jiyoung gave a stiff nod with a slightly dazed expression.
And so, for the next two hours, an absolute hell unfolded—the kind Jiyoung would never experience again in her lifetime.
It wasn’t just the fact that they actually made her do a full one hundred of each exercise: sit-ups, squats, weighted lunges, and pull-ups.
Obviously, no matter what exercise it was, Jiyoung would collapse in exhaustion after about ten reps and couldn’t do any more. Then the people who had already finished would swarm around her like a pack of wolves and cheer her on with ferocious enthusiasm, as if they were watching a circus performance.
“You can do it! Up, up! That’s it, just one more! Whoaaa!! Good job, good job!”
Before she knew it, the members had completely surrounded her. Every single rep she managed earned thunderous cheers and applause, as if they were praising a child for doing something amazing.
What is this, hell…? Have I lived too lazily and now I’m being punished in the underworld…?
By the time that nightmarish session finally ended, Jiyoung was completely worn out in both body and mind. She couldn’t even stand properly.
Just then, her phone alarm went off. When she checked it, she found a KakaoTalk message from Namhyuk.
…This brat… Who does he think is suffering through this hell right now? Meanwhile the person responsible is just waking up late and casually asking me about it…
Irritated, Jiyoung immediately sent back a reply along with an angry puffing-cheeks emoji.
Jiyoung hammered away at her keyboard, eager to vent all her grievances to Namhyuk. He replied right away.
A moment later, another message from Namhyuk arrived.
Jiyoung clutched her phone, her face flushing as a bright smile spread across her lips. The fatigue melted away like snow thanks to Namhyuk’s characteristically blunt way of comforting her.
Her fingers hovered in the air for a moment before she quickly typed a short reply.
Suddenly someone tapped her on the back. Jiyoung jumped in surprise, quickly hiding her phone before turning around.
“…Jiyoung sunbae, we’re having an after-party today. Are you coming?”
It was club president Hyejung asking her. Since Jiyoung had just firmly declared to Namhyuk that she would never come back, she scratched her head awkwardly and shook her head.
“Ah… I, I have plans later…”
“Kyaa, unnie! You’re coming with us today, right? Let’s drink and chat together!”
Before Jiyoung could even finish answering, Sehee came bounding over, hugged her tightly, and shouted with a bright smile.
Jiyoung wore a deeply troubled expression as she was dragged away by Sehee’s powerful grip.
They ended up at a small Korean barbecue place, grilling meat and drinking. Of course, even there the members kept repeating the same questions, praising Jiyoung to the skies as today’s main character.
Once a little alcohol entered the mix, a few of the energetic workout club members started hitting on her one by one.
“Jiyoung, do you have a boyfriend? Anyone you like?”
“Ah, um… no… that is…”
“Give me your phone, I’ll put in my number.”
“Ah, w-wait… that’s…”
“I haven’t had anything to drink. Want to go for a drive in my car later?”
“N-no thank you…”
All Jiyoung could think about was escaping that place as fast as humanly possible. But with her personality, it was hard to just get up and leave when everyone was welcoming her so enthusiastically.
At that moment, Hyejung, who had been quietly watching from the end of the table, suddenly stood up.
“I’m heading out first, everyone. Sehee, pay with the club card later.”
“Ehh?! What? Where are you going, Hyejung! The president is running away, boo~~”
“Sorry, I have plans later. Oh, by the way, didn’t Jiyoung sunbae say she had plans too?”
When Hyejung asked in her indifferent tone, Jiyoung’s face lit up like she had seen her savior. She nodded vigorously.
“Let’s go together, Jiyoung sunbae. Sorry everyone, we’ll be leaving now.”
Hyejung casually laughed off the members’ jeers and pleas, then took Jiyoung and left the restaurant without a backward glance.
Jiyoung hurriedly followed Hyejung outside into the darkening street. With tears welling up, she quietly murmured.
“…Th-thank you…”
“It’s nothing, sunbae. If anything, I should be the one apologizing.”
Hyejung stood beside Jiyoung at the crosswalk in front of the restaurant for a moment, then turned her head slightly and asked.
“…It was tough today, wasn’t it? In a lot of ways.”
“Ah, um… yeah… it was…”
“I’m sorry. They’re not bad people, but they get way too passionate about working out. It must have been shocking if it was your first time in that kind of atmosphere.”
When Hyejung smiled softly and apologized, Jiyoung felt tears threatening to spill over. She had never dreamed she would meet someone in this club who actually understood how she felt.
After hesitating for a long time, Jiyoung finally spoke once the traffic light turned green. She kept her head bowed low, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Um… President…! I’m really sorry… I don’t think I’ll be able to come again… It seems like it’s too much for me…”
“Ah, that’s totally fine. You don’t have to do CrossFit if you want to exercise. If the vibe doesn’t suit you, just do something else. It’s really okay, so please lift your head.”
Contrary to what Jiyoung had expected—an incredibly awkward atmosphere—Hyejung chuckled as if she had seen it coming and answered cheerfully.
After thinking for a moment, Hyejung smiled again and added.
“Sunbae, how about this instead? If you sign up at the gym I go to, I’ll teach you how to do each exercise one by one right next to you. I won’t be as rowdy as those people, so you don’t have to worry.”
…Who is this person? An angel? Jiyoung stared at Hyejung with wide eyes as the other girl smiled brightly at her.
“C-can you really do that?”
“Of course. You’re my department senior. If anything, I feel bad that this is all I can do for you.”
Overwhelmed with emotion, Jiyoung couldn’t speak for a while. Then her eyes sparkled as she hurriedly pulled out her phone.
“Then… could I get your number, Hyejung…?”
“Sure, here.”
Hyejung coolly entered her number. Then she noticed the Cinnamoroll keychain on Jiyoung’s phone and asked.
“…Sunbae, do you like Cinnamoroll?”
“Ah, yes. I got it from a claw machine recently… hehe.”
“…Really? That’s cute. I like My Melody.”
“Whoa…! You do? I actually pulled a My Melody that day too…!
Oh, right. I ended up giving it all away… Next time I’ll definitely buy you one.”
“Ahaha, it’s okay. I already have a lot at home… Anyway, I’ll send you the gym’s KakaoTalk ID later. Let’s work out together when I contact you.”
“Okay!”
Jiyoung nodded enthusiastically with a bright smile. Hyejung gave a small laugh, waved, and parted ways with her.
…She really is an angel. How can someone that nice even exist…? I have to get close to her. It would be fun to hang out together with Namhyuk sometime too, hehe…
With that thought, Jiyoung walked home with a big grin on her face.
Meanwhile, Hyejung also headed home, lost in her own thoughts.
…She’s really cute. She’s so pretty that she’s probably dated a lot, unlike me. She must have a boyfriend, right?
…A pretty, cute older girl. She’s totally Namhyuk’s type. He’d be drooling. Tch…
But that keychain… it looked like the same one from the photo Namhyuk sent me. It must be a coincidence… right?
Sigh, what am I even thinking. I should just go finish my workout…
Hyejung frowned and scratched her head as she naturally turned her steps toward the gym.
