Chapter 51
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: The 70kg Milestone
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4:58 a.m.
My eyes snapped open on their own, even without the alarm going off.
I took my vitamins.
Let's go. Final jogging session.
I planned to jog just until today. Starting tomorrow morning, I'd head to the gym instead.
I stepped out of the dorm.
Since it's the last one, give it everything I've got.
Run with all my heart and soul.
Be grateful that I can run.
I can do it. I can run.
My willpower blazed like a flame. My motivation soared to the heavens.
After stretching, I started off slow.
Yesterday's weight was 70.2kg.
Could I hit my goal today?
Can I really break 70kg?
I was excited.
At the same time, desperate.
Please. Please!PLEASE!!
I wanted to hit 70kg today. I wanted to achieve my first goal right away. I wanted to reap the fruits of my hard work.
How long had I been running?
A-young's calling.
A call came in from Choi A-young.
"Oppa~ Good morning."
Her voice was thick with sleep.
"Oppa~ Did you sleep well?"
"Yeah, slept like a rock."
"Out for a run, huh?"
"Yeah, running right now."
"Aw, too bad."
"Why? What's so disappointing?"
"Hearing your rough, sexy breathing is one of the joys of my life? Sadly, it sounds way too steady today."
"Pervert?"
"Heehee, only for you, oppa. I'm a total perv just for you. If you knew what I'm doing right now, you'd freak out."
"What're you up to?"
"Heehee, hugging Pyri so tight it's like I'm suffocating her, sprawled out on the bed like half-melted ice cream, talking to you on the phone."
"Pfft, not shocked at all? I thought maybe you were doing something naughty while on the phone with me."
"... Oppa, pervert. Total pervert. You're not just lame, you're lame-perv. I'm all prim and proper, innocent—no naughty stuff for me."
I picked up the pace.
Changed the subject.
"How's the new place? Like it?"
"Yup! Love it! It's the best! No more worrying about Sol unnie's glares, no neighbor noise."
"Glad to hear it."
"Truth be told, Sol unnie was super sensitive. And the neighbor noise was bad too."
"Really?"
"Oppa, thank you."
"Thanks to you, I get to live in a better place than before, and set up for streaming too."
"Thank you. I'm so grateful. I'll work super hard and make it big. I'll repay the favor."
"No need. I didn't help expecting payback. I just wanted to help, and could, so I did. Anyway, let's both give it our all."
"Yup! Let's hustle!"
"We can do it. We can succeed. Give it everything."
"Hee, what's that? So cringey. Sounds dumb."
"It's my motto. I always shout it before getting to work."
My feet came to a stop.
"Hold on a sec."
"Why?"
"Just a sec."
Jin-seong paused the conversation.
He approached the frail old woman sorting recyclables outside the convenience store.
When not focusing, others' inner thoughts didn't appear.
[Inner Thoughts: ...]
When he focused, they did.
[Inner Thoughts: Ow, my back hurts.]
[Inner Thoughts: Gotta finish sorting quick and make breakfast for my granddaughter.]
He greeted her.
"Good morning, ma'am."
"Oh? Young man? Good morning to you."
"Let me help."
"No need. I'm fine."
"Aw, I'm fine too."
With a cheeky grin, he pitched in to sort.
Once done...
"Hold on."
He went into the convenience store.
Bought some warm soy milk.
It was a 2+1 deal.
"Here, ma'am. Soy milk. Have some."
He handed over the bag with two sweet, nutty cartons inside.
"Oh my, thank you. I'll enjoy it."
"Drink it while it's warm. It'll thaw out your chilled body a bit."
"Aw, thank you. Truly, thank you."
Keep up the good work.
Clutching the warm soy milk like a hand warmer, he jogged off slowly.
I miss Grandma.
Guess I need to visit her grave soon.
"Oppa?"
"Sorry. Kept you waiting, huh?"
"No biggie. It's fine. Were you helping that grandma just now?"
"Yeah, she was struggling with the recyclables, so I lent a hand."
"... So cool. Awesome. You're really something, oppa."
"Nah, just did what anyone would."
"No way. Seriously, so cool. So awesome."
I scratched my cheek with my index finger.
"Oppa, wash your forehead later. I'll stick a praise sticker on it."
"It better not be a kiss sticker."
"Eek?! Huh?! How'd you know? It's a forehead kiss!"
"Figured as much. No thanks on one. Make it two."
"Heehee, deal. Special service—three for you."
Housewarming party tonight.
Finished jogging.
For breakfast: soy milk + boiled egg + banana combo.
Let's hustle today too!
Give it everything!
Headed to work.
The first thing Jin-seong did was brew coffee mix.
Coffee + water + mental recovery agent special blend.
"Mi-yeon ssi, coffee."
"Thanks as always."
Oh Mi-yeon smiled brightly like a fairy as she took the paper cup.
She didn't drink right away.
She stared into the cup for a long time, then glanced at him.
[Inner Thoughts: Weird.]
[Inner Thoughts: Sunday morning, I felt peaceful. But after that, I got super depressed out of nowhere.]
[Inner Thoughts: Same as last week. But after drinking the coffee Rice Boy made, the depression vanished.]
[Inner Thoughts: Will it be the same this time? Will the depression go away if I drink this? Will peace return?]
Oh Mi-yeon took a sip.
Whoosh.
Her already clear face brightened even more. Her soft smile deepened.
[Inner Thoughts: My heart... my heart feels... peaceful again.]
[Inner Thoughts: That endless depression... gone with one sip...]
Oh Mi-yeon looked at Jin-seong.
"Did you... put... magic... in the coffee...?"
"Huh? Magic?"
"It's so good. My heart feels at peace."
She thought he'd cast a spell on the coffee.
She flashed an eye smile.
A pretty smile that could make any man's heart flutter.
"High praise—don't know where to put myself."
"Tomorrow, instead of mix, could you do instant like Cano?"
"Cano? I'm not great at brewing that..."
"I love Cano. Pretty please with Cano?"
"Oh, sure, got it. Cano it is."
Oh Mi-yeon responded to Jin-seong's answer with a gentle smile.
Oh no...
In any normal situation, he'd feel his heart skip at her smile.
This is tricky...
He scratched his cheek with his index finger.
Jin-seong could only manage an awkward smile amid the awkwardness.
He was perplexed.
Overburdened.
Because he could see exactly what Oh Mi-yeon was thinking and her intentions behind requesting Cano.
[Inner Thoughts: Weird. Peace from coffee mix? And only the one Rice Boy brews?]
[Inner Thoughts: Time to test. Is it the Rice Boy mix that's special, or him brewing it? Or something else...]
An awkward silence fell.
Lost in deep thought.
Why did I help Oh Mi-yeon?
I pitied her. My heart told me to. I wanted to help, so I did. Nothing more, nothing less.
Sigh, she's noticed something's off.
Noticing wasn't a big deal.
The problem was her digging deep into the source.
Noticing is fine... but if she probes too much, that's trouble... burdensome...
Jin-seong had no intention of revealing Era of Success to anyone.
Not Oh Mi-yeon, not Park Ha-yeon or Choi A-young, not even family. Absolute secrecy.
I was careless.
He scolded himself.
He'd only thought of helping her, nothing else.
Never expected she'd try to uncover his secret.
Sigh... for now... like it or not... I'll help Oh Mi-yeon through to the end.
Once a man decides to help, he sees it through to the death.
After that... if she keeps prying... if it becomes a problem... use an item.
He prepared a contingency.
Era of Success for me only. Never for others.
And if.
Really if.
He had to use it on someone? Reveal it?
Who? Who to share with?
Affection 100. Loyalty 100.
Minimum conditions.
If those were met, sharing might be okay.
Even then, he'd keep quiet unless absolutely necessary.
Standards set.
Hit the gym.
"Welcome."
"Piggy, come on in."
Park Man-bok and Park Ha-yeon greeted him.
"Early today, Piggy?"
"Yeah. Work ended quick."
"Change and come lift."
"Got it."
Entered the locker room.
Eye contact with Im Jun-ho in the locker room.
[Inner Thoughts: 170kg weights incoming.]
[Inner Thoughts: Stamina lost to nerd boy, but weights? I'm overwhelmingly superior!]
[Inner Thoughts: Heh, this body's hit 210kg. Nerd's still struggling at 170.]
[Inner Thoughts: Just you wait, nerd trash. I'll build stamina and surpass your puny endurance!]
My face twisted in disgust on its own.
This scrawny punk wants to get wrecked?! Today's workout's gonna be brutal!
Against Im Jun-ho especially.
I won't lose. Hate losing.
I can win. Want to win.
Battle lust ignited fiercely.
Weighed myself.
Finally. FINALLY!FINALLY!!
I did it.
I clenched my fist tight.
Goal achieved.
Harvested the sweet first fruit.
"Ooh!!"
"Wow!!"
Park Man-bok and Park Ha-yeon exclaimed in admiration.
"Congratulations."
"Piggy, congrats for real!"
Sincere cheers.
Clap clap clap clap.
Clap clap clap clap.
Applause rained down.
Eye contact with Im Jun-ho.
[Inner Thoughts: Nerd trash, diet success I guess.]
[Inner Thoughts: Impressive honestly. 10kg is hard; 25kg? Insane.]