Chapter 90: The Barbell-Wielding Cinderella-1
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 90: The Barbell-Wielding Cinderella-1
When In-ho mentioned going on a trip, Garam told him to have a good rest, but deep down, she felt unsettled.
The funny thing was, she didn't even know why she felt that way.
She had been startled when he said he’d skip his morning workout to visit the hospital, and her eyes had welled up slightly when he mentioned having a chronic illness.
In truth, if she wanted to find a reason to stop him from going, she could have.
She could have pointed out how difficult it would be to manage his diet while traveling. She could have argued that the routine he had painstakingly built through consistent exercise would crumble.
If she had used those two excuses, In-ho would have likely given her an awkward smile and stayed home to recuperate.
However, not only was there the doctor’s recommendation to get away for a while, but more than anything, she felt she couldn't be harsh to In-ho, who had been working so hard for her broadcasts lately.
Her secret desire, one she hadn't even fully realized herself, was simply for In-ho to stay by her side.
When In-ho is around, she feels comfortable.
When In-ho is around, she feels safe.
When In-ho is around, things go well.
When In-ho is around, she isn't anxious.
They called it a mutually beneficial relationship, but the reality was different.
She was gaining far too much from him.
It made her feel like a princess in a fairy tale. It was as if a fairy, fluttering about and scattering stardust, had waved a magic wand and transformed her—shabby and dressed in rags—into someone wearing a magnificent gown.
The fairy helped her wholeheartedly, asking for nothing in return. He cut down the things that threatened her with a single stroke and laid a beautiful glass bridge across sheer cliffs for her to cross.
That was why she had been having these thoughts lately.
Is it right for me to keep acting like such a spoiled child?
She often fell into deep thought, reflecting on herself.
One day, the day would come when their relationship would end. Perhaps it would be the day she finished paying off her debt and no longer needed to ask for his help. Or perhaps it would be the day he regained his health and no longer needed her.
What should I do when that time comes?
As someone who met him every day to exercise and shared her life with him, the mere thought of his absence made her chest tighten.
"What is this? Muscle pain?"
She pressed the center of her chest with her fingers, but it was a type of discomfort she had never felt before.
Whenever she felt this pain, her hand naturally reached for her phone.
It was the third day of In-ho’s trip.
>> Garam: Please send me a photo of your dinner today too.
She sent him KakaoTalk messages frequently under the pretext of checking his diet. She would look at what he ate for breakfast, strike up unnecessary conversations, and keep the dialogue going.
When she did that, the throbbing pain in her chest vanished.
Lately, the frequency of these messages had increased. It was all because of that strange BJ’s DM.
The DM had been so suspicious she wondered if it was bait, but the sender hadn't made any further contact afterward. Was it because she had rejected them so firmly?
It was for the best. Nothing good would come from getting involved with someone like that.
...But there was no denying that the DM had been a stone thrown into a still pond.
The equation "Kang In-ho = Supreme Building Owner" had taken root in her mind.
She had begun scouring OceaniaTV, watching other female streamers with a hawk-like intensity. At first, she knew nothing about broadcasting, but after spending some time on it, she began to understand the basic structure of the platform.
Was that why?
Seeing the ID "Supreme Building Owner" registered in the donation rankings of almost every prominent female streamer made her feel like she was sinking into a sea of unpleasantness, as if stones were tied to her feet.
She was anxious for no reason.
Was it because, as that BJ said, In-ho was someone who had approached her with an ulterior motive?
No. When she imagined that, her chest didn't throb.
Then what about this?
Because In-ho was the type of man who flirted with this woman and that woman.
Throb.
It hurt a little. This might be close to the truth.
Let’s think deeper, and more honestly.
Because she was afraid In-ho’s interest would shift to another woman.
Throb, throb, throb.
It hurt a lot.
So, this was the answer.
She realized it.
Her mood plummeted in an instant.
She became depressed, wanting to think of nothing. She wondered why she even existed in this world and wanted to ask God what her purpose was for being born.
She stood up abruptly.
She looked around.
The machines sat motionless. The treadmills were still. The speakers emitted a faint static.
Like the autumn leaves scattering outside the window...
The colors faded, and the world turned monochrome.
Everything felt meaningless.
She had clearly intended to do something just now.
But she couldn't remember what it was.
Exercise? No, a phone call? Flyers?
The things she usually did circled her mind, but her body wouldn't move. It felt as if something black and viscous was gripping her legs and refusing to let go.
— Ping!
Just as her vision was turning dark, the faint sound of a messenger notification reached her right ear.
"Whew... whew..."
Her vision returned.
Well-maintained equipment. Treadmills ready to run at any moment. Speakers playing exciting music.
Outside the window, the fallen leaves spread out in vibrant colors like fireworks.
The color returned; the world was painted anew.
Hope bloomed.
>> In-ho: I’m planning to have kalguksu today. I’ll run even harder tomorrow.
Even at that short message, the corners of her mouth curled up. A hum escaped her nose.
>> Garam: Okay~ Don't eat too much!
Vitality surged through her body. Today, she felt like she could lift weights she hadn't been able to manage before.
>> In-ho: You too, Garam. Good luck with your stream tonight. I’ll probably be asleep by then.
He said he had been going to bed early lately to manage his blood pressure.
It was a bit disappointing that he couldn't watch her broadcast, but she could feel his sincerity in the way he cared for himself.
"Alright, let's do this."
It was a spell she cast on herself. As she reset the cameras for the broadcast, she vowed to give it her all today.
Feeling like a princess in a fairy tale, she gripped the barbell.
Thinking of In-ho, the time she spent exercising felt like wearing a gown and riding a golden carriage to a ball.
But did she know?
That the fairy’s magic breaks when the clock strikes twelve.