Rehabilitation Exercise (1)
About two days had passed since Suhyun started selling bread. Her bread had become a true sensation, quickly going viral among countless viewers. The result was Suhyun’s promotional jingle spreading across every community imaginable.
└ Is her name actually Snake?
└ ㅇㅇ If you search “vam” it comes up
└ So her name tag is just her name lol anyway thanks
└ Snake Emperor is cute though
└ ㄹㅇ
└ This is real
└ ㄹㅇ!?
└ ㅇㅇ
└ Why really?
└ She said if you send 100,000 won while she’s pulling mobs she’ll do aegyo ㅋㅋㅋ
└ Even the reason is cute
Another post quickly followed.
- If she’s like this I’ll allow the depressing posts
- So cute
- All the people who kept saying she was a guy, attention!
- Ha……
- It’s Snake Emperor again. I must worship her
- Snake Emperor is really cute though
People kept praising how cute Suhyun was. Waking up from sleep, Suhyun stared blankly at their reactions in the dark room.
“…I’m not cute, so I don’t get why they keep saying I am.”
For Suhyun, it was simply unfair. She didn’t think she was cute at all, so why did everyone insist she was? With that question in mind, she sighed and looked at her reflection on the monitor. A girl hugging her pillow tightly like it was precious, wearing a sulky expression.
“Not cute.”
Frowning at herself, Suhyun got up and limped off to wash up. In the meantime, new messages arrived.
Today was the day of Suhyun’s rehabilitation exercise.
Early morning. Having arrived at the gukbap restaurant for work, Sujin looked at her phone with a bright smile.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
The thought of exercising together with her lovely daughters filled Sujin with happiness. She was simply grateful to be alive and able to see her children again. Perhaps these were the happiest days of her life.
“…Alright, I’ll work hard and then go.”
She would finish work with energy and then exercise with the kids. With that goal in mind, Sujin stood up and prepared to greet customers. In the same space was a man—Junsu, who watched Sujin carefully.
‘She looks happy.’
Sujin had been unusually bright lately. Seeing her like that gave Junsu a great sense of relief. Sujin was someone who had always felt unstable. She smiled as if she would collapse at the slightest touch. That was the kind of anxious person she was. Having heard she’d recently reunited with her children after years apart, Junsu could only hope a healthy future awaited her.
“Ha… I’ll take today off streaming and start again tomorrow.”
“Taking another day off?”
“Yeah, my body’s stiff from streaming nonstop.”
Junsu smiled awkwardly. Sujin nodded with a motherly smile.
“Then help me with the dishes.”
“Yes ma’am, on my way.”
The two of them began operating the otherwise empty gukbap restaurant.
Suhyun sat blankly, staring at her phone.
“Uh… rehab today?”
Jiwoo had texted her about doing rehabilitation exercises. It wasn’t particularly inconvenient. If she said she was resting because of rehab, no one would complain… and she did want to spend time with her family. What was a little scary, though, was…
“…What if I mess up?”
What if she couldn’t do the exercises properly? Would Jiwoo and Mom be disappointed? She knew they wouldn’t react that way. But the wounds carved into her since her previous life wouldn’t wash away so easily. The painful memories of having to be perfect at everything—and being abandoned when she wasn’t—flashed through her mind.
“……”
Even so, she sent the message with trembling eyes and a smile. If she ran away because she was scared…
“…I’m more afraid of going back to how I was before.”
Returning to the way she used to be—that was even more terrifying.
“…I can do it. I’ll be able to do it, Suhyun.”
Saying that, she gripped the box cutter tightly and took a deep breath. She hadn’t cut herself, but as expected of the ultimate counselor, the box cutter performed remarkably well.
“I feel calmer now……”
Feeling a little more settled, she began drying her hair.
Not long after she finished drying her hair, Jiwoo arrived in front of the house.
“Unnie…! It’s been a while!”
“Y-yeah, it has……”
Jiwoo pulled her into a tight hug and beamed. Seeing that, Suhyun smiled softly as well.
“D-did you miss me a lot…?”
“Of course. I always miss you, Unnie.”
Her adorable little sister grinned brightly. The thought that Jiwoo had grown up so well crossed Suhyun’s mind.
“I see… hehe.”
“Oh, you laughed.”
“I-I’ve… been smiling a lot more lately…!”
When Suhyun smiled again, Jiwoo clutched her chest and pretended to collapse. For a moment Suhyun panicked, but remembering her previous mistake, Jiwoo quickly straightened up and reassured her she was fine.
“…Don’t do that……”
“Okay, Unnie.”
Jiwoo answered with an awkward smile. Suhyun took her hand and slowly headed outside. Today’s weather was clear. Since she’d been holed up inside, she’d been a little worried about going out on a sunny day, but…
“…I’m not burning to death.”
“Unnie, are you a vampire? You’d burn to death.”
Jiwoo snickered. Slightly embarrassed, Suhyun lowered her head while posting a notice on her café that she might be late or take the day off.
Notice: I might take the day off or be late today
My left leg is still limping, so I need to do rehab. As part of that, I’ll be going out to exercise a bit today. Sorry about this. I might be a day late or take the day off.
- Whoa…!?
- Does your leg hurt!?
- (crying and begging her not to be in pain)
- ㅠㅠㅠㅠ
- Can’t be helped
- Good luck with rehab!
- Maybe rehab will help it heal
Seeing everyone being so understanding made Suhyun’s chest feel warm.
“…Hehe.”
“Unnie, I called a taxi.”
Jiwoo looked down at her and squeezed her hand. Suhyun squeezed back and caught up on all the stories they hadn’t shared. Before long the taxi arrived, and the two of them climbed in, heading toward the department store where their mother was.
“We’re here, Unnie. Let’s get out.”
“Ah… yeah…!”
Holding Jiwoo’s hand, Suhyun slowly stepped out and headed toward the gukbap restaurant.
While messaging her daughter, a bright smile bloomed on Sujin’s face.
“The kids have arrived.”
“Already?”
“Yes……”
“You look excited.”
Junsu spoke while washing dishes, a gentle smile on his face. Sujin nodded slightly.
“No matter when I see my children, it never hurts to have them in my sight.”
“…That’s impressive.”
“…It’s nothing. In the end I’m the mother who ran away, so I should at least do this much.”
Sujin smiled bitterly as she prepared two bowls of gukbap.
“Boss, I’ll make gukbap for the kids. You can deduct it from my pay.”
“No, you can just treat them.”
“I’d feel bad……”
Sujin smiled awkwardly. Junsu told her there was no need. “Just eat and go. You said you’re exercising today.”
“Yes……”
“Then you’ll need your strength.”
Saying he’d treat them, Junsu offered the food for free. Sujin expressed her gratitude and diligently prepared two bowls of gukbap. A moment later—
“Ah, hello……”
“…!!”
A small girl entered the gukbap restaurant hesitantly. Seeing her, who looked exactly like Sujin, Junsu couldn’t help but be surprised.
‘So… she really is Snake-nim…? Huh…?’
It was the moment his guess proved exactly right. An avatar similar to Sujin’s. He’d found it a little suspicious, but—
“Uh… hello, Boss.”
Even the way she greeted him shyly resembled Snake. Yet Suhyun, who hadn’t seen him before, didn’t recognize his face. Looking at her, Junsu thought—
‘Teasing her might be fun.’
He decided it would be amusing to tease her.