Chapter 52
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Squishy Fluffy Punch
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"Stop, stop! That's enough for today."
The coach rang the bell, and Ga-eun lowered her fists, stepping back.
"Urgh..."
Jun-ho then pitched forward onto the mat.
"You hit like a total pro, damn it..."
In the end, the sparring didn't even make it to the full twelve rounds.
The guy they'd called a promising talent was carried out by the coach, drooling all over the place.
Is that guy actually okay...?
He looks brain-dead lol
Too strong...
"Quit spreading weird rumors. I just spread the impact around evenly so it wouldn't hurt too much."
In other words, she'd given his whole body a thorough going-over.
Ga-eun turned to the rest of us, who'd been left standing there, and let out a little "hmph."
Watching that, the editor spoke up.
"Should we wrap it up here too?"
"Yeah. Korean power, folks—if you're interested, come check it out sometime. Consultations welcome... That's it for today, bye~."
Ga-eun waved at her phone camera, angling it toward me.
"?"
"Come on, bye~?"
She was waving, so I waved back.
"Bye."
She was probably just saying goodbye to the viewers.
Ga-eun's mouth curved into a grin at the sight.
"Hee... Alright, see you all tonight...! Whew!"
After her farewell, she plopped down beside me.
"Good work."
"Ugh, that was tough!"
Was Ga-eun really the tired one?
Her opponent had been carried out like mush.
It was probably exhaustion from all the punching, not from getting hit.
I wanted to tease her about it, but I wasn't dumb enough to say it out loud, even if I'd figured it out.
"Nice job. Here."
"Ah, thanks, sis."
Ga-eun took the tumbler Da-hye offered, gulped down some water, then wiped the sweat from her face with a towel.
"Boss, take a look at this."
"Yeah, hang on."
After roughly toweling off, Ga-eun huddled with the editor to review the footage.
"Ah, should we cut this part? It just looks like nonstop beating, kinda weird."
"Her image is already set that way. No point changing now."
"Sigh... But people come from regular NewTube vids. If it's all punching all day, what then? I'm not just an upload-beater."
"Honestly, I think it's fine. Viewers love it."
"Ah—"
"......"
As I watched them deep in work mode, Chan-seong, who'd been quietly lost in thought, spoke up.
"Su-hyeon."
"Yeah?"
"Looks like it's over, so I'll head out. Gotta help Mom with dinner prep."
"Oh, got it. See ya."
Good to hear Mom's health was back and things were peaceful at home.
I grabbed Chan-seong's outstretched hand like a handshake.
His hand was so big I could only wrap around his index finger.
"Today was truly enlightening. Thanks for the invite. You sticking around longer?"
"Yeah, I had fun too. I'll head out in a bit."
"I see. Take care, Da-hye. I'm off."
"Ah! Wait."
As Chan-seong stood, Da-hye, who'd been listening quietly, got up too.
"I-I'll walk you out."
"No need to trouble yourself."
"No, I could use the fresh air... Ah, Su-hyeon, if anyone asks, just say I went out for a bit?"
"Huh?"
"Chan-seong, about dinner tonight—"
Da-hye didn't wait for a reply and hurried after him.
"Sis..."
Da-hye was 31.
Technically older by birth certificate, but calling her "sis" still felt off.
I'd barely ever used "noona" anyway...
"Whew."
Suddenly, I was the only one left in the stands.
'...This is kinda weird.'
First time since my body changed that no one was paying attention to me?
Everyone had their priorities and just left.
It was kinda relaxing, but also a little lonely.
The few other people around when we arrived started trickling out once it hit 4 p.m.
Now the gym was empty except for Ga-eun and the editor chatting nearby.
Swinging my legs, I glanced around idly until my eyes landed on something next to me.
"Hm."
It was the gloves Ga-eun had tossed aside earlier.
I remembered how they'd made that satisfying thwack against the sandbag.
Looked like a great stress reliever.
I pulled my legs up onto the chair.
To turn toward the gloves.
Kneeling on the seat, I twisted left and tugged at the glove's edge.
The hand opening still held a faint warmth.
Too thick for one hand, so I used both.
"...Ugh, so slick."
The surface was glossy.
Made sense—after all that bashing, it'd be covered in sweat and spit.
Ew.
I gripped the side as best I could and lifted it.
One glove was as big as my face.
Glance.
"So pull it back a little here... Nah, just max it out. We got that ad slot too, right? With that..."
"Won't that make it too long?"
"That's your job as editor."
"Oh."
They still looked busy.
With both hands, I lifted one glove—nearly face-sized.
"Whoa."
Pressing the thumb area, it was surprisingly squishy.
I flipped it, spun it around, examined it every which way, then slipped a hand inside.
Bracing with my feet to keep it from tipping.
"Whatcha doing?"
"Eep—"
I startled and flung the glove up; Ga-eun's face popped out from behind it.
"Pfft, why so jumpy?"
"H-Huh..."
My heart was pounding.
Wasn't she focused on work...?
A quick glance: the editor was cleaning up alone.
"W-Weren't you working?"
"Kept peeking over, so I wondered. Hee, bored?"
Ga-eun grinned at me.
"Just curious, checking it out."
Caught red-handed, I looked away, embarrassed.
"Wait here."
Ga-eun ducked into a room and came back with a few small gloves.
"These..."
"Kids' class stuff. Borrowed 'em quick."
"......"
"Gotta hit a sandbag at least once in a boxing gym. Here."
"...Sigh."
She went through the trouble for me, so I'd humor her.
I slipped my hands into the gloves she offered.
"Can't have 'em wobbling. Hurts your wrists."
Ga-eun shook them gently, swapping for smaller ones until the tiniest fit perfectly.
...Looked more like a toy than real gloves.
"Yay, smallest one fits!"
"Yay...?"
"Alright... Here we go!"
"Whoa, not again!"
Ga-eun suddenly scooped me up.
"Hold still. You're too short for mitts, and the sandbag's too high—you'd barely graze it."
She wandered around, then headed to a corner like she'd spotted something.
A pouch like a ball hung there.
What was it? Looked like those arcade punching machines.
The ones rowdy folks spin-kick.
Ga-eun carried me to the one with the biggest pouch.
"What's this?"
"Speed bag. Trains speed, timing, rhythm—hand-eye stuff. Only thing your size."
Yeah, this scale felt like a sandbag to me.
Ga-eun hoisted me by the side, pressing me close.
The huge pouch filled my view.
"Give it a try."
I timidly tapped it.
It twitched with each swing.
"Hmph."
...Kinda fun?
"Ooh! Harder! Yeah!"
Her cheers boosted me.
Tap.
Thud.
Thud!
My light taps soon made real sounds.
"Hah, heek."
Adding power, it started swaying front to back.
"Harder!"
"Yah!"
Fired up by her shout, I reared back as far as I could and smack!
The leather pouch swung way back.
Then rushed right at me.
"Wha—waaah!"
"Again, hit it quick!"
Ga-eun called it like she knew, but I panicked—too slow.
"Oh no...!"
Ga-eun yanked me back just shy, but startled Su-hyeon squeezed her eyes shut and thrust both gloved hands out.
Grabbing the incoming pouch.
Thwap!
"H-Hey!"
Swoooosh.
The speed bag swung back, dragging me along, dangling from it.
Ga-eun's momentary lapse.
"Heeeeeelp!"
Ga-eun yelped in surprise, lunging to catch my fall—then froze at the unexpected sight.
"Uh, uhm...?"
Surprisingly, I hadn't fallen; I was hanging on fine.
Blinking didn't change it—I dangled there steadily, no sign of dropping.
"Pfft, heeheehee! Ahahaha!"
"Don't laugh, get me down!!"
Feet dangling, I flailed in terror—but it just swung harder.
"Eeeeek!"
As the pouch rocked wildly, I wriggled up and clung flat against it.
"Heehee, okay okay, hold on a sec."
Ga-eun dashed for her phone.
"Nooooo!!!!"
All I could do was tense my limbs.
Ga-eun snapped a pic of me hugging the pouch and screaming, then the editor approached wondering what the commotion was, and finally helped me down.