Training and Jealousy
We safely exited the abandoned building.
The ghost that had transformed into Eunhye struck me, and then vanished without a trace.
It was probably the kind of anomaly that lost its power the moment its true nature was exposed.
In the end, we had safely performed the exorcism.
But because of the way we did it, Eunhye was a little upset.
“No matter what, judging people by money is too much, isn’t it?”
“...I’m sorry.”
“I see. You must have thought I was a woman who loses her mind the moment I see money.”
“That’s not true at all.”
Honestly, it worked, but I didn’t say that.
I know there are words that shouldn’t be said seriously.
“I’ll take you to a cake specialty cafe near Cheonjihae. So please forgive me this once.”
“......Really?”
Eunhye turned and peeked over her shoulder.
That cafe was Eunhye’s absolute favorite.
But due to my wallet situation, I couldn’t go easily.
For Eunhye, it was like a fantasy realm.
“Yeah, since it’s an apology, you can eat as many as you want.”
“...I’m not forgiving you because of the cake. I’m forgiving you because your effort was admirable, right?”
“Yeah, yeah. Of course.”
Thanks to the cake, our friendship with the company colleague was safely preserved.
It was summer.
****
Since joining Cheonjihae, my daily routine had become hectic.
Besides attending lectures, I had to train and study simultaneously.
One of those was starting my own exercise regimen at the Cheonjihae gymnasium.
It was my personal exercise routine made after joining.
Given that my talent was inferior to other exorcists, I figured I needed to build my body somehow.
Incidentally, Cheonjihae boasted some of the best facilities in the country.
The gym was packed with various workout equipment that I hadn’t seen anywhere else.
They even provided private lockers for trainees and allowed free use of the premium shower rooms.
All of it was free!
No wonder exorcists were desperate to get into Cheonjihae.
‘Is this real corporate welfare? My chest swells with pride.’
With such high-end facilities, my motivation to exercise skyrocketed.
Moreover, surprisingly, the gym was almost empty in the mornings, allowing me to use it as if I had rented it out.
Of course, it wasn’t empty—there were people around.
Right next to me, there was someone I knew.
“Huff! Huff! Huff!”
Cheok Jiyeon was doing leg presses right beside me.
As a martial exorcist, the weight she was pushing was substantial.
I, who couldn’t even imagine such a load, casually pushed an unimaginable amount of weight.
‘...She’s really impressive.’
At first glance, her body looked somewhat lean.
How such power could come from that physique was mysterious.
Theoretically, I knew it was spiritual energy support.
To my eyes, it didn’t show, so it felt like a character from a manga.
“Hoo!”
Cheok Jiyeon finished her lower body workout and stepped down.
Sweat droplets glistened on her forehead from the intense effort.
“How is it? Is the exercise worthwhile?”
“It’s worthwhile. I have to do it.”
“Hmm, that’s a reasonable thing to say.”
Cheok Jiyeon nodded.
Since we were close, after accidentally bumping into each other at the gym, we had been exercising together every day.
‘With Cheok Jiyeon around, I can help her too.’
Cheok Jiyeon and I had vastly different experience and knowledge in training.
She had helped me a lot as I stumbled through everything.
“You seem to be putting in more effort today.”
“I want to build my strength and stamina quickly. Soon, the classes at Cheonjihae will move beyond theory to practical training.”
Being stimulated by someone doing it so earnestly was a factor.
When I thought I had reached my limit, seeing Cheok Jiyeon made me want to do one more.
“Huu~ I ate a fancy sandwich and thought my strength would increase.”
“Hmph! Hmph!”
After Yoo Yeonhwa’s bento last time, Cheok Jiyeon was still a bit sulky.
It wasn’t that her attitude or mood was particularly bad.
She just occasionally mentioned it and pouted.
‘This sulking from Cheok Jiyeon is refreshing.’
In the game, she had been the image of a vengeful ghost training alone.
This tick-tick behavior like a younger sister was actually cute.
“By the way, Jiyeon, you’re amazing too. Even a guy like me can’t match you in strength.”
“I’ve only been trained since childhood in the family. If it were the same situation, you would have done about the same.”
“No, that’s undervaluing you.”
Cheok Jiyeon’s skill was the combination of talent and effort.
A normal person couldn’t achieve that no matter how much they trained.
“Hmm, is that so?”
But Cheok Jiyeon’s reaction was a bit strange.
I had truly praised her purely.
“...From a man’s perspective, a woman like me who sweats and is strong isn’t that appealing, right?”
“Huh?”
“Usually men prefer fluffy, leisurely women. Like Yoo Yeonhwa, for example...”
“Is that so? I think exercising women are cool.”
“Whew! R-really?”
“Any effort looks good.”
If it’s exercise, naturally a great physique follows.
In fact, even celebrities and actors, no matter how much they manage.
I wonder if there’s a man who doesn’t hate that.
In our industry, rewards... wait, up to here.
“Really. That’s what you mean...”
Cheok Jiyeon slightly lowered her head.
Upon closer look, her lips were twitching wildly.
Her cheeks were flushed, indicating she had worked out quite hard.
“Oh! Nam Dohyeong trainee, Cheok Jiyeon trainee.”
At that moment, someone approached the two of us.
It was Han Sujin, the leader of the martial combat division and instructor.
‘...This person is amazing in many ways too.’
Han Sujin was wearing a black crop top and leggings that exposed her navel and abs.
The exposure wasn’t excessive, but the clear lines of her body made it more stimulating than mere nudity.
Above all, Han Sujin’s toned physique was overwhelming.
She would fit perfectly as a sports magazine model.
Originally, Han Sujin was a beautiful woman with a cool, sharp impression.
If she went out, male gym-goers wouldn’t be able to take their eyes off her.
“Exercising from the morning? You’re diligent.”
“No. Then the instructor also exercises from the morning...?”
“It’s my routine to come here every day and exercise. Recently, I couldn’t come because of education preparation.”
As expected, in Cheonjihae, she was the representative martial exorcist.
Daily training seemed to be a basic for martial exorcists.
“Then the two of you must be busy with studies, yet exercising from the morning. As expected, first and second are different.”
“I haven’t even become an intern yet, so I have to work hard a little.”
“Haha! As expected, my recognized employee. If you join our team, you won’t have to worry about that.”
“Haha...”
Han Sujin sent me a subtle glance.
From the start, she seemed to want to recruit me into her team.
‘Why is she obsessed with someone like me, a mediocre guy?’
There were plenty of other talents.
I couldn’t understand why she was trying to recruit me, a mid-to-low rank in physical strength.
“By the way, are you training now?”
“Yes. First, I’m doing some core training for stamina.”
“Good idea. A healthy body is essential for exorcists.”
The fact that I started training from the morning made me like it even more.
The eyes of Han Sujin looking at me were full of affection.
Or like a professor discovering a promising grad student.
“If it’s Nam Dohyeong trainee’s body, it’s good to build the lower body. The thighs are the foundation of all power.”
“Oh, I see.”
I listened obediently, separate from the discomfort.
If it was Han Sujin, she was a pro in training even within Cheonjihae.
Her teachings were originally invaluable experiences that couldn’t be bought with gold.
“If it’s okay, shall I show you training methods that can be done without clothes? Not at the gym, but at home.”
“I’ll learn it diligently if you teach me!”
“As expected, you’re prepared. Then I’ll show you once.”
Han Sujin touched my shoulder and thigh for a moment.
I knew it was for exercise.
But the hand of this beauty touching places I didn’t usually touch made me tense unconsciously.
‘Why is the hand of a person with such amazing muscles soft?’
I focused on the teaching with a good thought.
“See, put strength on the thigh here and slowly... Ah, breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth.”
As the teaching continued, it touched various parts of the body.
When the thigh in leggings touched the soft chest, my heart pounded.
...About 3 seconds.
‘Crazy! This is so hard!’
Clearly, pros are different.
Just exercising for a moment, the muscles screamed.
‘W-were things this hard? Is this Cheonjihae level?’
The exercise effect seemed to have it, but it was so hard.
But because Han Sujin was holding important parts, it was hard to relax the posture.
‘This is getting...’
Just as I was about to say stop.
“Hmm! Hmm!”
Cheok Jiyeon, watching from the side, spoke with a cough.
“Instructor. Isn’t this action a bit... inappropriate?”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Approaching a man in his prime with such revealing clothing, and using teaching as an excuse for body contact, doesn’t look good.”
“Strange. I have no such intention at all. Is it because Cheok Jiyeon trainee has such lewd thoughts?”
“W-what lewd...! That’s not what I mean.”
H-hey. I’m going to die here?
Can’t you have this argument later!
“From afar, it looked like you were secretly peeping at Nam Dohyeong trainee’s collarbone and muscles. I wonder who the real pervert is.”
“T-that’s just accidentally seen! At least I didn’t touch the body directly.”
“Thinking that itself is evidence that it’s lewd, isn’t it?”
“...Originally, the instructor’s intention is too obvious. Even if I like it, I don’t think it’s openly seductive.”
“I just hope a somewhat excellent exorcist comes out. Of course, I don’t say there’s no personal greed in doing this.”
“So, the problem is that the instructor is trying to fill personal desires...”
Ah, it’s over now.
“Kyaa!”
My body, maintaining the posture, reached its limit and collapsed.
“U, Nam Dohyeong trainee?”
“A-are you okay?”
Two people rushed to me who fell.
What did I do wrong to end up like this.
Should I move the gym?
Suddenly, such thoughts came.