The Director's Intimate Guidance
I flinched as if startled by the sudden, rough bark of a voice, and it seemed Jina realized this wasn't the time for cursing. She dragged me out of the room and immediately started rattling off precautions about Ye-ri.
"So... don't smile carelessly, answer in short replies only, and refuse any personal questions, right?"
"Yeah."
"Isn't that... kinda rude? She's still your sister's boss..."
I asked if getting on her bad side wouldn't be a problem, and Jina curled her lips into a cynical smirk.
"Boss? More like business partner. Partner."
"Huh?"
"I invested in this place too. Think of it as me owning about 40 percent of the building."
So even if I slapped Ye-ri across the face with my foot, Jina wouldn't get fired.
"You seem overly worried..."
"I'm telling you, it's not. Do you have any idea how messy her love life is? You'd freak out if you heard."
Well, wasn't that obvious? If I'd been Ye-ri, running a fitness center this size at her age, I'd have been sleeping around left and right too.
Anyway, I nodded to show I got it.
"But... earlier you said you wouldn't touch members or her staff."
I phrased it to imply she wouldn't hit on me after saying that herself, and frustration flooded Jina's face like she was about to explode.
"Or was that a lie?"
"No, it's not... like that..."
"Then no need to worry, right?"
Time to stop toying with her. Her face was so full of exasperation that a little more prodding might make her blow up.
"Anyway, got it. I'll do as you say, sis. So go back to work already."
"Hey, there's still time left..."
"Didn't you say you had to prep?"
I pushed firmly on her back.
"Fine, I'm going. Happy now?"
She seemed a bit hurt that I kept pushing her away when she was worried sick about me. As she stomped off, her sulky vibe wafted back clearly.
Separate from her disappointment, she couldn't fully shake her worry—she glanced back at me now and then.
Each time, I waved her off with a "do your best" gesture. The moment she vanished from sight, I slipped back into the room.
I'd only been gone a moment, but three minutes had passed already. Ye-ri stood by her locker, getting dressed.
"Oh? Jina must've left."
Her hands tugged up sheer white leggings that clung to her toned legs, thin enough to almost glimpse inside.
"Yeah? Uh, yeah."
"Got it... Ah, wait just a bit longer? I'll finish changing and show you around."
"Sure, sure."
I'd half-expected her attitude to flip the second Jina left, but surprisingly, Ye-ri kept her gentle demeanor.
"You've seen everything up to here, right? So?"
"Uh, yeah."
"If it's not too rude, mind sharing your impressions?"
"Impressions?"
"Yeah. Like, if anything felt overwhelming or whatever?"
Was this why she'd wanted us alone? Before the thought fully formed, I caught her in the small mirror on the locker door, sneaking peeks at me.
"Uh... well, this is my first time in a place like this, so..."
Not a lie. I'd tried gyms a few times back when I thought I might die if I didn't shape up, but this was Lee Yu-han's first.
"Really? So exercise is new to you too?"
"Yeah, well... I know how to do breathing exercises at least."
"Pfft!"
What, was this her thing? Shockingly, it seemed so. She couldn't stifle those leaking chuckles.
"Ahem, well, breathing exercises are perfectly good workouts."
"Right? Can't skip 'em or you die."
"Pfft!"
"Thanks to that, I'm going on 22 years now."
"Ahahaha...!"
Ye-ri finally regained composure about a minute after bursting out laughing. She'd laughed so freely, but now that it died down, maybe she regretted seeming too flighty in front of a guy.
"Ahem...!"
Her face flushed red as she cleared her throat awkwardly.
"Well, 22 years isn't that long. I'm on year 29 myself."
Meaning she was 29. She looked only a year or two older than Jina—right on target.
"Hmm, so you're my senior."
"Thought otherwise?"
What answer was she fishing for? Obvious: something about looking young. But no way I'd say it.
"Nah, spot on? Uh, since you're older, feel free to drop the formalities."
"You think?"
No backing down. Most would've politely declined once, but not her. Her grin said speaking formally to someone seven years younger had felt awkward as hell.
"So, uh, what should I call you...?"
"Yu-han."
Jina said never share personal info, but a name's fine...
"Got it, Yu-han. Han's your given name? Cool—"
What the? Then it hit me: she thought I was Jina's blood brother. Hence the slip.
"No, full name's Lee Yu-han. Lee surname."
"Huh?"
Her head tilt screamed "Not Jina's brother?" So I bullshitted: cousin, not sibling.
"Ah, gotcha. That explains..."
She nodded like it clicked, then smiled prettily, crinkling her eyes.
"You know my name, right?"
"Says Na Ye-ri there."
"Ooh, sharp eyes."
"...Wow."
"Sorry, lame joke."
"I'll let it slide per the 3-second rule."
"Huh? 3-second rule? What's that?"
She didn't know? How? Insiders these days...
"Eh, just a thing."
"C'mon, tell me. Kid slang these days?"
I didn't know either.
"Ah! I get it! Forgive anything if they apologize in 3 seconds?"
"Roughly, yeah."
"Hmm, interesting..."
What was that loaded look? What filthy thing was she imagining?
Ignoring her rippling gaze, she finished wrestling into the leggings with grunts, then hiked them up from her hips to her lower abdomen.
They wedged into the valley between her legs, flashing a cameltoe vista—gone like a mirage when she let go.
"All dressed. Shall we?"
She beamed and led the way; I followed, touring the rest.
Then she said...
"Y'know, you're different with Jina around."
"Huh? How?"
"Your personality. Thought you were the quiet type after a few words... but, like, hmm..."
She trailed off. The omitted bit? Obvious. Probably "Too girly for how you look." Chickened out at the last second.
"Ah."
I nodded to show I got it, then flashed a wry smile.
"Jina worries too much. Nice and all, but kinda... hmm..."
"Overprotective?"
"A tad?"
"Yeah, she comes off that way."
Chatting like that, we neared the last room on the 8th floor. Above its door...
Yoo Ji-na
...hung a familiar nameplate.
"Saw it earlier? Another private studio. Jina's spot, obviously."
Sure enough, Jina stood by a woman who looked about 25, barking nonstop instructions. Soundproofed well—no words leaked out.
Watching made me wanna play familiar, so I pressed against the small window in the door and waved vigorously.
Luckily, payoff: Jina, eyeing her client's form, spotted me and softened instantly from stern.
Didn't last. Her client on the bench press followed her gaze, saw me, and gaped slack-jawed.
Jina's face hardened—harsher than before. Blame for that.
She won't come out...
Thought she'd peek at least. All business when working, huh? Seemed so; I backed off the door.
Lingering would just distract her.
"Seen all the facilities now. What's next?"
"Dunno. Tour's not done yet, so..."
What to do? Warm up on a treadmill? As I pondered...
"Nothing? Wanna check me out while you wait?"
"Huh? No need to—"
"Worried about you. First real workout, right?"
"Yeah, but..."
"Exactly. What if you hurt yourself?"
"Hmm..."
"If it's too much, no biggie."
Masterful hit-and-run. As expected from the boss. I'd wondered if she was purely helping Jina by volunteering, hiding no ulterior motives till the end.
Of course not.
Dilemma didn't last. No reason to refuse.
"Then... sorry, but could you?"
"Sorry for what? Was bored anyway."
She lightly smacked my back, calling it nonsense.
Oho... Casual touch like that? Jina could learn.
"Crowded spots too much?"
"Kinda, yeah."
"My private studio then?"
"That one?"
"Yeah, got all the gear."
She puffed up playfully—"Director perks"—and I chuckled, nodding.
We moved to Ye-ri's private studio. True to word: mini-gym for one. Treadmills to everything. Even shower and changing nook.
Shower... Did she do it here often? From outside, it looked flashy, but inside? Walls cleverly blocked views—pure privacy screens. Perfect soundproofing too.
No one outside would notice even if we fucked wildly inside.
"Ooh..."
"Nice, right?"
She griped briefly about the insane cost, then led me to the InBody scanner. That's when her touches ramped up.
"Straighten your back more."
"Like this?"
"No, like this!"
She wedged her hand between me and the machine, fingers grazing my back under pretense of pushing.
Same for InBody.
"Thumb here."
Her hand overlaid mine seamlessly.
Natural as breathing.
"Ah, sorry."
I flinched like I'd just noticed; she pulled back innocently.
But those were mere appetizers. Post-scan proved it.
"Okay, stretching basics first."
"Yep."
"Memorize 'em well—they're gold. Stretching burns serious calories too."
Her eyes glimmered with anticipation. The real show's starting now.