Chapter 75: How Many Kilograms Can You Lift?-3
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 75: How Many Kilograms Can You Lift?-3
— The moon is so bright. It’s like your face is nestled right inside it, Hana.
— Hana, I’m already forty. It’s about time I got married.
— Hana, I told you, you just need to bring yourself. I’ve prepared everything.
— Is it because of my age? I might be old, but my body is still in its early thirties, you know?
"Aaaaagh! Stop! Stop it!!"
Unable to endure any more, I slammed my head against the desk. Thump. Thump.
"Why is it this kind of body this time?! You did just fine possessing handsome, young guys before!"
"Being fat? I don't care! I can just lose the weight! Being old? Fine. That happens."
But.
"But this kind of character is too much!! You pigeon bitch!!!"
I screamed at the top of my lungs, hurling insults at a God who couldn't even hear me.
Thinking about it, this situation felt even more exhausting than when I was being dragged around by Namgung So-yeon.
I spent thirty minutes throwing a fit in the study, the veins in my neck bulging. Eventually, perhaps because this body was old, I ran out of strength to rage any further.
I rested my chin on the desk and tried to cool my head.
"Let's just die."
The words that came out after long deliberation were simple.
"Living as a person with this kind of cringe-worthy past? I can't do it. Never..."
But then, my true feelings, living somewhere deep in my heart, spoke up.
— But you're a building owner.
— You have more money than you could ever touch in your entire life.
— You don't even have a job. You can just live however you want.
A sweet, whispering voice, as gentle as a devil's temptation.
From here on, it was a "Would You Rather" balance game.
[Live as a pathetic 40-year-old building owner vs. Live as a handsome man in his 20s or 30s]
"...Dammit. Obviously the former..."
The balance was broken.
I couldn't resist the temptation of being a building owner. Besides, what was the point of possessing a handsome man? I’d just end up getting stabbed to death anyway.
Wouldn't it be better to just live like this until the end?
I was getting tired of being jerked around and dying, after all.
"Fine. Let's think positively. Positively."
This shameful history, which seemed like the only flaw, could be seen as something that hadn't progressed too seriously yet if I changed my perspective.
It was just the one-sided courtship of a middle-aged man, wasn't it? It didn't seem like the relationship had actually gone anywhere.
Well, I’d been rejected by plenty of women in my original world, too. So... couldn't I just think of it as a similar experience?
The realization that things weren't much different now than they were before made me feel even more pathetic.
Ah, let me just wipe my eyes for a second.
"Alright. The bad life ends here! I’m going to be born again. That’s all I have to do. Okay~ Kang In-ho, you can do this! Let’s go!"
I’d cut everything out.
Quit drinking, quit smoking, and quit watching female streamers.
If I did that, I’d be able to live a much healthier life.
I had plenty of money, too. I’d just live the best life I could here before I moved on.
Gurgle—
As I stood up from the desk with firm resolve, a loud sound erupted from my stomach.
"Ugh, I'm hungry."
There didn't seem to be anything worth eating at home, so I decided to head out.
I needed to deal with this hangover, anyway.
*
My grand first meal after the dimension transfer was Sundae Rice Soup.
I didn't know how much I’d drank the night before, but my stomach felt both empty and burning.
"Heeeuuuuugh."
I scooped up a large spoonful and put it in my mouth, huffing to cool the heat.
The person who invented rice soup deserves an award. It provides such a reliable sense of fullness for this price.
The feeling of my stomach filling up and the savory taste of the broth on the tip of my tongue made me forget reality for a moment.
Yes, just for a very brief moment.
— What’s wrong with my age~ What’s wrong with my age~
An incredibly outdated phone ringtone went off. It was my phone.
Ugh, I really need to change this.
After glancing at the caller ID, I swallowed the mouthful of rice soup.
"Hello."
— Ah, Brother, I have something to tell you regarding Myeongseong Building. Are you at home?
"I'm at the Sundae place near the house. Come here."
— Yes, sir. I’ll be right there.
After ending the call, Yoo Ho-cheol arrived at the restaurant shortly after.
He was in his mid-thirties. He treated me with great respect and handled the trivial matters of my business for me.
I wasn't sure exactly how we were connected, but looking at our message history, he was someone who had been with me for a long time.
In other words, he was someone who had been somewhat vetted.
The man with short-cropped hair sat down across from me.
"It’s rare to see you eating rice soup, Brother."
Ho-cheol asked while fanning himself with his hand.
"I drank a bit too much yesterday."
I replied as I dumped half a bowl of rice into the soup.
"Even so. Brother, you wouldn't even look at Sundae Rice Soup before, saying it smelled like pork."
Ho-cheol said after gulping down a glass of water.
"I don't know. Maybe my tastes are changing as I get older."
"Aw, come on, Brother. You said you were still in your prime. Didn't you say you wouldn't lose even if compared to a 20-year-old?"
Ho-cheol said with a good-natured laugh.
"Shut it."
I said that? Another addition to my shameful history.
Ho-cheol started talking about the weather and how the tenants were doing lately, and I ate my meal while half-listening to him.
By the way, has this guy eaten?
"Hey."
"Yes?"
I cut off Ho-cheol in the middle of his rambling and asked.
"Have you eaten yet?"
"Ah, no. Not yet."
It was late afternoon. Lunchtime had long since passed, and a gurgling sound came from Ho-cheol’s stomach.
"Let's eat together. My treat."
I couldn't ignore that sound, so I made the offer.
"Huh? Together?"
Ho-cheol looked startled by my words.
"Why? Did I say something weird?"
"No, it's not that. It’s just been a long time since I’ve had a meal on you, Brother. Haha."
He scratched his cheek, looking embarrassed by his own words. I gave a small smirk and replied.
"It’s just Sundae Rice Soup, how expensive could it be? Excuse me! One more rice soup, please."
Soon the soup arrived, and Ho-cheol looked moved, thanking me repeatedly.
Was the previous me... an unimaginable cheapskate?
He must have been starving, because he started shoveling the soup into his mouth without even letting it cool. Before I knew it, he had caught up to my pace.
"Hey... isn't it hot?"
"Ugh... huff... this is nothing."
He spoke while constantly huffing to cool his mouth, but I wasn't sure if he was actually okay.
Anyway, Ho-cheol ate that soup like a man who hadn't eaten in ten years, and I got a front-row seat to a one-man mukbang show.
Wow... shoving something that hot directly down his throat... humans really are amazing.
Once Ho-cheol’s spirited meal was over, I wiped my mouth with a tissue and spoke.
"You said you had something to tell me?"
"Yes. It’s about the 6th floor of Myeongseong Building."
Ho-cheol, patting his full stomach, straightened his posture.
"The 6th floor of Myeongseong Building?"
Uh... what about it?
When I gave him a blank look, Ho-cheol acted like he expected as much and provided more details.
"The place that used up its entire security deposit the month before last. The gym."
It seemed to be a common landlord-tenant issue.
"And?"
"Well, they couldn't pay this month's rent either. So I told them to pack up. But they begged and pleaded, asking me to ask you for leniency."
"Hmm... really? Has something like this happened before?"
"No. You never gave them a break. You always said you weren't running a charity."
Man, I used to talk like a real prick.
I took a sip of water and tapped on my phone.
Let's see... the location of Myeongseong Building... it’s closer than I thought. It’s within walking distance from the house.
"If we clear out the 6th floor, is there anyone to take the spot?"
"I’d have to list it. As you know, Brother, there isn't much foot traffic around there, so I don't think someone will move in right away."
I tried to shift my crossed legs, but my heavy belly fat kept getting in the way.
"You know."
"Yes."
I spoke to Ho-cheol while keeping my eyes fixed on my phone.
"Let's just leave it. The gym."
"Eh? Why? From what I saw, there are absolutely no people there. It’s empty. I don't think they’ll be able to pay the back rent even if we give them a few more chances."
"No, I’m not leaving it there for the money. Let's keep it as a convenience facility."
"A convenience facility?"
"Yeah. I’m thinking of working out. I’ve gained some weight. It’d be nice to have a gym close to home."
"I guess that makes sense. But if that's the case, wouldn't it be better to just register at a gym a similar distance away?"
"Let's use what we have. Why go somewhere else when we have one in our own building? Go and ask them. Tell them I won't charge rent for a while. Ask if they can train me in exchange. For free."
"Uh... I'll try talking to them. They’ll probably say yes."
As I stood up and paid for the meal, Ho-cheol nodded slowly in response.
"Then I'll head over to Myeongseong Building right now."
"Right. Oh, and! Make sure you phrase it well. Don't be a jerk about it, like 'I'm doing this for free.'"
I wasn't thick-skinned enough to boldly say, "I won't take rent, so train me."
Instead, I asked Ho-cheol to sugarcoat it, and he thumped his chest, telling me not to worry, before scurrying off.
*
Garam Fitness.
When Ho-cheol, who had just left, returned, the owner of the center, Choi Garam, wore a bewildered expression.
The sight of the empty center, contrasting with the upbeat music, stung her heart.
With her hair dyed a faded yellow and tied up in a ponytail, she sat at her desk.
She had clung to him out of desperation, like a person grasping at straws... Had the building owner actually shown mercy?
She kept telling herself not to get her hopes up, but her mind couldn't stop spinning with optimistic thoughts.
Ho-cheol, wearing a friendly smile, brought the answer to what she had asked.
After listening to Ho-cheol’s explanation for a while, Garam tilted her head, wondering if she had heard correctly, and asked him back.
"Um... first of all, thank you for listening to such an unreasonable request. But... is what you just said correct? The president...?"
"Yes! Brother is very interested in your fitness center, Ms. Garam. He said he wants it to stay open for as long as possible."