Last Place's Reward
Thanks to Yoon Seo-yeon's sit-ups, there was a hilarious mishap where all the guys lost their minds, but the fitness verification itself went off without any major issues. Fifteen pull-ups, forty-two sit-ups, thirty-five push-ups. Pretty decent scores, all things considered. Who knew the stamina I'd built up from my delivery side gig would shine here?
The problem came with the fourth event. The side-step test. You had to shuffle quickly side to side, tapping the lines. But the moment I started, pain shot through my right leg.
Urgh...!
That leg I'd injured in the delivery accident. I'd only taken the cast off a few days ago, and rapid lateral movements were too much. It was fine going left, but every time I pivoted right, my knee creaked. My speed slowed bit by bit. Beep, beep, beep—. When the end signal rang, my score was pathetic. Way lower than the other participants.
I'm screwed...
I hung my head, and that's when a familiar voice came from beside me.
"Si-woo, you okay? Your leg alright?"
I looked up to see Park Ha-young. The annoyed look from earlier was gone; she was staring at me with genuine worry. She seemed to have forgotten she was in her underwear.
"Uh... it hurts a bit."
"A bit? You were limping during the side-steps. Has your leg always been bad?"
"I got into an accident on a delivery run a while back. My leg cracked, so I was in a cast until just recently."
"What?! You came here in that condition?"
Ha-young's eyes went wide in shock.
"Five million won, what choice did I have...?"
"Aigoo, you idiot."
Ha-young sighed and glanced worriedly down at my leg.
"What if you fail the fitness check because of this? There's still the run at the end, right?"
"...Yeah."
That was my worry too. I'd done okay in the other events, but the side-steps tanked me. If I bombed the run too, I could get cut. Five million won, gone.
"Just try to make it through the run at least. I'll run beside you and pace you."
"...Thanks, Ha-young."
I meant it. Seeing her worry like this warmed my heart.
Warmed it, sure. But... my eyes kept drifting downward. She'd uncrossed her arms in concern, leaving her light green bra fully in view. Her B-cup breasts sat neatly inside, modest and cute.
...Never in my life have I seen this many girls' underwear up close.
Twenty years on this earth, and the only women's undies I'd ever seen were my mom's drying on the rack. To think I'd see twenty pairs in real life today alone. That made me want to pass this fitness check even more. The money mattered, but honestly...
This whole experience of being around so many girls was a first for me.
"Hey, Han Si-woo."
"Yeah?!"
"Where the hell are you looking right now?"
Ha-young's voice turned icy. I snapped my gaze to the ceiling.
"N-nothing... nowhere..."
"...Hah."
The basic fitness verification wrapped up, and we moved to the final event. The run.
"Male participants: 4km. Females: 2.5km. Please run laps around the gym track."
Men 4km, women 2.5km. With the distance difference, the guys started first, and the girls would join midway.
The starting signal blared. The first 500m was fine. I paced myself in the middle pack. But past 1km, sharp pain stabbed my right leg.
Urgh...! Ow, it hurts.
My leg wouldn't listen. Every step felt like electricity jolting my knee. My speed plummeted. By 2km, I'd fallen to the back of the guys' group. Dead last.
But that wasn't the only problem. The women's run started.
Girls who'd begun behind me started passing one by one. Before I knew it, I was smack in the middle of the women's pack.
"What the—why's a guy running here?!"
"If you're slow, get out of the way! You're in the way!"
"He didn't do this on purpose, did he?"
Protests rained down from all sides. A lone guy in underwear running amid a sea of girls in theirs? Of course the stares focused on me.
"N-no, I...!"
I tried to explain, but a familiar voice cut in from behind.
"Hold up! His leg's injured—that's why!"
It was Park Ha-young. She pulled up beside me and addressed the girls around us.
"His leg hurts, so he's lagging. He didn't butt in on purpose! I'll run next to him, so cut us some slack!"
I was touched deep down by her bold shout.
Ha-young... you're a real friend.
The girls didn't hide their annoyance, but they backed off at her words. Though the whispers didn't stop.
"If it hurts, just go home—don't be a nuisance..."
"He's gonna fail the fitness check anyway, right?"
"Feels like he joined the girls' group on purpose."
"Isn't he that pervert with the 147 heart rate earlier?"
Heart rate 147. Word had spread that far. Ears burning red, I gritted my teeth and kept running. My leg hurt. My heart hurt. My pride was dust.
Then Ha-young stepped ahead and said,
"Si-woo, don't think about anything. Just follow me—watch my back."
She started running at a steady pace in front of me. I followed, eyes on her back.
Or tried to. My gaze naturally dropped lower. With every step, the cheeks inside her light green panties jiggled left, right—plump and bouncy. I'd thought her build was average, but from behind while running, she had more spring than expected. Left, right, left, right. My eyes swayed rhythmically with her shaking butt.
Then something weird happened. My aching leg... hurt less? Focusing on Ha-young's butt dulled the pain somehow. Like a natural painkiller.
...Sorry, Ha-young. Your ass is my pain med.
I apologized inwardly but couldn't look away. She must've sensed me staring at her backside, because her ears were turning red. Still, she didn't want me falling behind—she clenched her jaw and held pace.
The other girls ran too. Breasts bouncing in bras left and right, Ha-young's butt shaking ahead. Sweat-slicked bodies pumping out pheromones, or so it felt.
...Even if I fail the fitness check, no regrets.
I meant it.
The guys finished their runs, then the girls. I crossed the finish line dead last among the men.
Decent in other events, but side-steps and run were disasters. Total score had me worried.
"Hah... hah..."
Panting, I collapsed to the floor. My legs throbbed.
"Si-woo, you okay?"
Ha-young sat beside me, handing over water.
"Yeah... thanks, Ha-young. Thanks to you, I finished."
"No biggie. But your score... that's worrying..."
She looked anxious too. Once fitness verification ended, we'd get our clothes back—or so I thought. I'd left my lab clothes in the men's area earlier. Figured they'd send us back. But no word.
Participants milled about in underwear, murmurs turning to complaints, when...
"Fitness verification results are in."
The researcher stepped forward with a tablet.
"Those with the lowest total scores will be sent home for safety reasons."
Tension filled the gym.
"Three males, one female. Four eliminated total."
Names were called. First, second, third—all guys. My heart stopped. I held my breath until the fourth.
Fourth: one girl.
...Not me.
I passed... barely.
Really, really barely.
"No way! Check again!"
"This is unfair!"
The four protested, but the researchers were firm.
"Subpar fitness risks danger during the trial. It's for safety—please understand."
The four were escorted out amid curses and grumbles. Door shut, silence fell.
Left: 17 guys, 19 girls. Thirty-six total.
"Now, physical examinations."
The researcher continued.
"Groups of four, based on fitness scores."
Guys first. Four per group: one, two, three, four. Then... me alone at the end.
"..."
Seventeen guys divided by four: four groups of four (sixteen), one left over. Me. Lowest score.
Girls next. Nineteen: four groups of four (sixteen), three left. Among them, familiar faces.
Yoon Seo-yeon. She'd been too embarrassed to perform well, it seemed. Face flushed, head down.
Park Ha-young. She avoided my eyes when I looked. Lower stamina than expected.
One unfamiliar girl.
Then someone stepped forward.
"Excuse me!"
Na Ye-jin. Yellow hair swaying, she approached the researcher.
"Put me in Seo-yeon's... I mean, Yoon Seo-yeon's group."
"Sorry, groups are by score order..."
"I can't do the exam without Seo-yeon—I'll be too anxious. Please."
Na Ye-jin glared, unyielding. The researchers exchanged glances, smirking meaningfully.
"...Fine. Adding Na Ye-jin to that group."
Na Ye-jin linked arms with Yoon Seo-yeon, sighing in relief.
Girls' leftovers sorted: Park Ha-young, Yoon Seo-yeon, Na Ye-jin. Three girls. And me. One guy.
No way.
It happened. The researcher approached me.
"Han Si-woo, solo exam would take too long. You'll join the three remaining females."
"...Huh?"
I wasn't the only shocked one.
"Hold on—same group as a guy?!"
Na Ye-jin fired back immediately.
"Physical exams with guys? That's insane!"
Yoon Seo-yeon recoiled, her already red face burning brighter.
As uproar brewed, Park Ha-young spoke up.
"...I'm fine with it."
All eyes turned to her.
"We've been in underwear together all day for verification. Separate now or together—doesn't make much difference."
Ha-young said it calmly. Na Ye-jin opened her mouth, then closed it, stumped.
The researcher sealed it.
"Last group delaying throws off the schedule. If you're unhappy, leave with the ones sent home earlier."
Leave. That word deflated Na Ye-jin. Yoon Seo-yeon bit her lip and nodded faintly.
"...Fine."
Na Ye-jin grumbled her acceptance.
Group formed: Han Si-woo, Park Ha-young, Yoon Seo-yeon, Na Ye-jin.
"Then, put your clothes back on..."
Yoon Seo-yeon started hesitantly, but the researcher cut in.
"Physical exams in underwear."
"..."
As if expecting it, the three girls didn't resist much. After a day of nonstop humiliation, maybe they'd gone numb.
"Follow me."
The researcher led. We four in underwear trailed in line. Ha-young in front of me, Yoon Seo-yeon ahead of her, Na Ye-jin at the front.
Three different backsides. Light green, white, black underwear. My heart pounded wildly.
Grouped with Yoon Seo-yeon. Park Ha-young, Yoon Seo-yeon, Na Ye-jin. Three girls and me. Physical exams in underwear.
...This gig might be worth more than five million.
I felt pathetic for the dirty thought, but I couldn't stop. Yoon Seo-yeon's long straight hair swayed gently over her white back. My heart wouldn't quit racing.