Chapter 82: I See You as a Man-1
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 82: I See You as a Man-1
Don’t act all sentimental, you bitch.
Oh, look at her.
I was debating how to respond to this absurd, unsolicited text when Hana, apparently too impatient to wait, called me.
Should I pick up or not?
She clearly wants something. If I leave it alone, she’ll just keep clinging.
I slid my finger across the screen and answered.
I held the phone to my ear and stayed silent.
[Hello?]
It was the first time I had heard Hana’s voice.
To be honest, putting personal feelings aside, it wasn't a bad voice.
Though it was likely a practiced, artificial one.
"...Why did you call?"
[Oppa, are you really that mad?]
"I asked why you called. I have no intention of eating with you."
[We’re not the kind of people who should end things like this. I think it’s best if we meet once and clear up the misunderstanding.]
I’d finished a great workout and was planning on heading home in a good mood... but this woman kept poking at my temper.
"Misunderstanding? What misunderstanding?"
[Well...]
"I have no intention of marrying you anymore. I won't bother you further. So let's just end it here."
[Oppa, just listen to me.]
"Listen to what? I’ve already lifted the barbell over fifty times today. I’m done 'lifting' anything else."
[What are you even talking about?]
"Forget it. I know you don't want to be involved with an old guy like me, and I’m not going to cling to you. Let's just mind our own business."
[Oppa! Is this all we are?]
"Of course, this is all we are. You only stayed close to me to get coins and sponsorship anyway. Let's not play games between pros."
[Is there another woman?]
"What woman? I'm just quitting all this bullshit. I'm hanging up. Don't contact me again."
[Oppa? Oppa!]
I pulled the phone away from my ear. As I was about to hit the end call button, I heard her voice calling out to me desperately from the other end.
Whatever. I pressed the red square button and shoved the phone into my pocket.
"Ah..."
My head throbbed, and my vision went black for a moment.
I felt dizzy.
Feeling the world spin, I slowly bent my body forward.
Vertigo. I didn't think I’d spoken that harshly, but I must have gotten worked up and sent my blood pressure spiking.
It wasn't even surprising. Ever since I possessed this body, this happened about once every three days.
If I hadn't started exercising sooner, I really would have died. Then again, it’s because the body was in this state that I ended up possessing it in the first place.
It had been quiet lately because I’d been working out hard, but seeing it flare up again, I really need to be careful.
"I should avoid getting involved with Hana as much as possible."
Thinking about what she did before must be making my blood boil instinctively.
"Man, that ruined my mood."
Returning home in a foul mood, the house felt even larger than usual today.
Some might like having a lot of square footage, but whenever I look at this desolate living room, I feel a sense of emptiness.
Small things I usually overlooked were starting to grate on my nerves.
It’s all because of that bitch, Hana.
"Ah... I can't stay in this mood."
I know myself well.
When I’m in a bad mood like this, I start looking for something to eat.
To be precise, I look for something 'delicious.'
In this state, there’s a high probability I’ll open a delivery app.
Eating delivery food might lift this depressed mood a bit, but the problem is the next day.
Garam would figure out exactly what I ate like some kind of ghost and put me through hell.
To put it bluntly, Garam would kill me.
- Garam, I just got home and I really want to eat something. What should I do?
- You can just eat and then work out that much more, right?
- ...I don't think that's a good method.
- Then, try going for a walk. You’re probably not looking for food because you’re hungry, but for psychological reasons. If you take a slow walk and calm your mind, you can overcome most of it.
"Right, let's go out. I’ve been doing nothing but going back and forth between the center and home. Let's go take a look around."
They said it might rain, so I’ll grab an umbrella. Let's go a bit further today.
Walking along the Han River wouldn't be bad.
Alright, let's drive to the Han River.
*
The sky is gloomy today.
I thought yesterday was the best day ever, but in just one day, it’s become the worst.
The past two weeks had been so happy.
President In-ho was a kind person, contrary to what I had thought, and he worked out hard.
He’s different from the other members who just show up for a couple of days and then flake.
So, I got a bit excited and pushed him a little harder.
It must have been difficult to handle at forty, but President In-ho followed along well.
A center I sweep and mop alone. An empty center where almost no one comes except for me.
The loneliness that comes from that. The worry over the dwindling number of members.
The anxieties that usually scrambled my brain didn't come to mind when I was with President In-ho.
Maybe that’s why I’d forgotten lately.
That my life was originally a gutter.
When I returned to the center, it seemed President In-ho had already gone home.
I work out alone in the empty center.
The more weight I add to the barbell, the clearer my head becomes. Distracting thoughts vanish.
The weight that started at 40kg has already risen to 200kg.
"Heave."
I place the barbell on my shoulders. I brace my core to maintain abdominal pressure.
I descend slowly.
The 200kg of plates isn't as heavy as I expected.
It’s not as heavy as my worries.
A proper amount of tension is maintained in the muscles.
Without using momentum, I slowly apply strength to my thighs and glutes and stand up.
I repeat the movement ten times.
"......"
I should probably stop here for today.
No one’s coming anyway, so I might as well close up.
I don't want to go home like this.
I feel like I’ll suffocate if I go into that tiny, cramped house.
Right, since I finished early, let's go somewhere far today.
*
[Loan Repayment Deadline Notice]
A single text message dragged my mood down to the depths of hell today.
Even as I walk along the path by the Han River, I stare blankly at my phone.
Stupid. Nothing will change just by looking at it.
Money. Money... that damn money was the problem.
From the time I was young until now, money has never been absent from my life.
The debt left behind by my mother who ran away.
My father, who had to work all day long just to pay off that debt.
My father, who ran a small neighborhood gym, eventually left the gym to me and took on other work as the interest kept piling up.
My foolish father.
My pitifully diligent father.
He kept stubbornly paying it back until his health failed and he left my side far too early.
What was left to me was debt and a gym.
Would it have been better if I hadn't inherited it?
I wonder often lately if my past choice—to take on that debt because I couldn't abandon the gym my father left behind—was actually the right one.
Droplets of water begin to wet my hair.
Oh, did they say it would rain today?
I didn't bring... an umbrella.
Haha.
Truly... today is the worst.
The early autumn rain is so cold. The drizzling droplets soon turned into a downpour that lashed against my body.
I just walked, taking the stinging rain with my whole body.
Because I had nowhere else to run.
It seems everyone else saw the forecast. I’m the only one in Han River Park.
Ha, I’m the only one who didn't know again.
I just want to melt away into the raindrops like this.
I don't know how long I’ve been trudging along. The rainwater flowing from my soaked hair is starting to block my vision.
How do I get home? Can I even get on a bus in this state?
The sound of the rain that was tormenting my ears starts bouncing off something.
And the rain no longer hits my body.
"Uh...?"
A shadow falls over my head.
Is this... an umbrella?
"Huh?"
Before I knew it, a man with a large frame was blocking my path.
The man looks down at me and speaks.
"Garam. What are you doing here?"
It’s President In-ho.
"Uh... well, I..."
He steps a bit closer to me.
I turn my head away, not wanting to show him that I’d been crying.
I felt like I would become too miserable if he asked, 'Were you crying?'
But he just gazes at me silently.
I couldn't bear this awkward silence.
"I... I’ll just be go—"
"It’s okay to cry. But do it under the umbrella. Getting hit by the rain doesn't make the tears flow any better."
Pat, pat.
He spoke calmly, patting my shoulder.