One Hour, One Week of Gains

Monday morning.

I had barely set foot in the office and was about to fire up Timepass when—

"Did Manager Kim get in?"

"Good morning, Team Leader!"

Perhaps because of our weekend round of golf, he greeted me with a wide smile.

I felt like we'd grown even closer.

"Save the pleasantries. Let's go."

"Where to?"

"The Director wants to see you."

"The... Director?"

What could it be this time?

The moment I stepped into the Director's office, he pulled something out of a shopping bag.

"Manager Kim, this is for you."

In the Director's hand was a truly special plaque.

A gleaming hole-in-one plaque.

Golden letters shone against a sturdy wooden stand. Knowing how passionate the Director was about golf, he'd clearly had it custom-made.

"That hole-in-one this weekend was a remarkable achievement. This plaque is the official testament to Manager Kim's effort and good fortune."

The Director extended the plaque with a smile.

The moment it settled into my hands, a lump rose unbidden in my throat.

A commendation for something that wasn't even work-related?

"Thank you, Director. I'll keep working even harder from here on."

At my words, the Director nodded and gave me a thumbs-up, while Team Leader Jeong quietly applauded.

Somehow this felt even warmer than the merit award I'd received before.

So this is what it's like to be recognized outside of work, too.

It felt good.

And then—

Whoa!!

Was it because I'd been recognized?

The system had granted me a full 40 work hours.

Before using Timepass, I headed up to the rooftop.

To check out my new ability.

"So you really got a hole-in-one?"

Youngsoo was already waiting for me.

"Word travels fast, huh?"

"The rumor's probably crossed the river by now. Team Leader Jeong and Assistant Manager Park just won't shut up about it. It even reached our department—that's saying something."

"I got lucky."

"You did. Honestly, these days even your luck is soul-gathering levels of reckless."

"Soul-gathering is your thing, not mine."

"........"

A brief silence hung between us.

"Anyway—you free this Saturday evening?"

"Saturday? Why?"

"Well, are you free or not?"

"Hold on, I should at least know what for."

Youngsoo narrowed his eyes as he answered.

"The alumni reunion."

"The reunion?"

"Yeah. The club we were in back in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠college."

"Why would I go to that?"

"You were a member too."

"........"

He wasn't wrong. I had been a member.

For my freshman year, that is.

After that, I'd been too busy working part-time jobs to take part.

And there was one more reason I shouldn't go.

"Don't tell me Ye-jin will be there too?"

The moment my ex-wife's name left my mouth, Youngsoo flinched and mumbled an evasive answer.

"How would I know that? If she's free she'll come, if not, she won't."

"Then I'm not going. Are you insane?"

"You have to come. I'm the reunion's treasurer this year."

"Well, look at you. When did you take on that job?"

"We're at that age, apparently. Look, you've got to show up. The executives are each supposed to bring one more person."

"...Fine."

"Thanks. I'll come pick you up Saturday, then."

"I didn't say I'd go."

"Thanks, man!"

"You crazy bastard!"

"Love you!"

And with that parting declaration, Youngsoo left the rooftop.

6 p.m.

Right after Youngsoo left, I checked my new ability. Then I used Timepass.

The new ability was—

"...Muscle Pump?"

A laugh slipped out of me.

How should I put it—it was like a video game buff.

Usable once a week, which meant it was a permanent, recurring ability.

Exercise for just one hour a week and get the effect of working out every single day?

Now that was an ability worthy of four stars.

"All right. Let's give it a try after work."

By the time I finished dinner and changed into my training clothes, it was already 8 p.m.

On a normal night I'd have showered, flopped down, and watched TV or scrolled through videos.

But this was just one hour.

One hour a week, at that.

I could manage that much.

I headed for the track at the park, a ten-minute walk away.

Plenty of people were already out running.

Tying my shoelaces, I whispered under my breath.

"Activate ability."

My heart pounded hard, two beats in quick succession.

Heat spread outward from somewhere deep inside me.

I had barely taken two or three strides before sweat began to pour.

My muscles were swelling, too.

Exercising every day would have been a struggle,

but one hour? That I could do.

I clenched my jaw tight.

Thirty minutes into the cardio run.

I paced myself through a 5-kilometer stretch—though honestly, the pace adjusted itself.

The harder I ran, the more instantly the training effects manifested.

Thirty minutes later.

Push-ups and squats.

Upper and lower body at the same time.

"Ngh."

With every push-up, it felt like my chest muscles were being torn apart.

How long had it been since I'd done any of this?

A sensation of expansion ran through me, as if my muscles were alive and moving on their own.

Ten. Thirty. Fifty.

And yet the farther I went, the lighter my body felt.

Final five minutes.

I moved to the pull-up bar at the park.

Could I even do this?

I hadn't attempted a single pull-up since middle school P.E. class.

"Hup."

I hung on.

And then—would you look at that.

My arms pulled.

I could feel the push-up effect carrying over.

Wait, I could actually get the hang of this.

I knocked out ten full pull-ups.

A hot ache spread between my arms and back, but strangely, it felt good.

Like something deep in my chest had finally been unclogged.

An hour had passed.

Sweat dripped from my hair in heavy drops.

A strange, tingling satisfaction washed over me.

Even after I got home, my body was still burning hot.

My heart thudded loudly in my chest,

yet somehow I didn't feel tired at all.

Instead of resting, I pulled out a yoga mat and started stretching.

My once-stiff lower back bent smoothly now.

Every time I inhaled, I could feel my shoulders and chest broaden.

My whole body cycled through tension and release, working up a deep heat.

After a shower, I stood in front of the mirror.

"Whoa!"

The reflection staring back at me had changed, if only slightly.

The muscles in my forearms were defined now, and the lines of my waist and shoulders had tightened up.

This was the body of someone who'd trained hard for a solid week.

I raised my arm to test it.

Strength surged through it.

"I only worked out for an hour, though??"

That old, familiar sense of helplessness was fading bit by bit, too.

So I dropped to the floor and started doing push-ups again.

Tuesday morning.

The elevator doors opened and the familiar smell of the office corridor washed over me—coffee, paperwork, printer toner.

It was the same commute as always, yet today something felt different.

"Good morning, everyone!"

I pushed open the team door with my usual greeting.

An unremarkable morning hello.

Except—

Whoa.

Mother of—

Oh my gosh?

The exclamations burst ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠out in an instant.

Assistant Manager Seo's eyes went wide as they swept over my face, and Assistant Manager Park discreetly covered her mouth.

"Manager Kim... what exactly did you do yesterday?"

"Uh, I just worked out a bit. Why?"

"Worked out? That's... that's not the kind of result you get from working out, is it? Half your face is gone!"

Even Team Leader Jeong wandered over with his coffee, eyebrows raised.

"Manager Kim, why do you look so good lately? Are you dating someone?"

"N-no, sir...."

Even back at my desk, I could feel the stares.

The women in the office kept sidling up to ask questions.

"Where do you get your skin done?"

"Which gym do you go to?"

It went on all day.

In meetings, in the hallways, in the cafeteria.

Every time their gazes landed on me, a strange mix of feelings stirred—embarrassment, a quiet thrill, and somewhere beneath it all, an awkwardness I couldn't quite name.

And then.

A sudden flicker of unease.

But why did this ability even appear?

Looking back at my recent abilities, each one had surfaced like a solution to some looming situation.

Could something be wrong with my health?