Chapter 123: Everyone Was Here?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 123: Everyone Was Here?
“What do you mean by that?”
Miju couldn’t quite grasp what Ye-seul was saying.
Join forces?
The two of them, who until recently were practically at each other's throats at school?
Miju still vividly remembered Ye-seul’s words.
‘Do you think you’re the only one who wants things to go well with Jae-ho senior?’
‘He only keeps you around because you worked the same part-time job and you’re close.’
Those were words she never would have expected from the usually timid Ye-seul. She had provoked Miju, saying she would do anything to get closer to Jae-ho, and Miju had snapped back.
And now she wanted to team up?
“I don’t really get it.”
“It’s because it looks like Young-eun is into him too.”
The name Ye-seul brought up was Yoo Young-eun.
It was a name Miju knew well. She was the famous actress who had once been the subject of a ridiculous tabloid scandal with Jae-ho. Now, Miju heard that Jae-ho was in charge of her photo shoots and PT.
That woman likes Jae-ho?
“This text... she sent it to him right after my broadcast ended.”
Touch him and you’re dead.
If it was a text sent to Ye-seul after she’d done a broadcast with Jae-ho, it was obvious who it was about.
‘Young-eun is interested in him too?’
When Miju had mentioned it at Jae-ho’s house before, he had been so certain that would never happen...
Miju recalled her first meeting with Young-eun. She was a woman who shone brilliantly, possessing an aura that made it feel like she was constantly under a spotlight.
“Young-eun is someone I can’t handle on my own,” Ye-seul added.
“Didn’t you like her?”
“I do. I respect her as a senior in the industry. But that’s different from this, isn’t it? I don’t want to lose him just because she’s a senior I respect.”
“So, what do you want to do?”
“Since I can’t beat her alone...”
Ye-seul shrugged. She wasn’t exactly comfortable with this situation either.
“Let’s join forces. We used to be close, after all.”
“The enemy of my enemy is my friend? Is that it?”
“Think whatever you want.”
Instead of answering, Miju looked at Ye-seul’s phone. The text Young-eun had sent. Miju read between the lines.
‘If Young-eun really has feelings for him...’
She was scared. Scared that Jae-ho might go to her.
There was no other way now. At that moment, the only thought in Miju’s head was to stay as close to Jae-ho as possible.
And the way to do that was...
A trainer.
She resolved to meet him as soon as tomorrow and tell him she would become a trainer at his gym.
“Fine. I get what you mean.”
Miju nodded.
“Let’s forget the past and start fresh.”
“Okay.”
Miju and Ye-seul looked at each other and smiled. Their relationship would likely never be as pure as it once was. But as long as Young-eun was in the picture, their bond would remain solid.
*
Today was the day of the exam. Specifically, the very last exam.
“Students who have finished everything may leave first.”
Despite the professor’s kind words, my face didn’t brighten. I had been suffocating throughout the entire test. It was only after I submitted my completed answer sheet that I could finally breathe.
“Whew.”
I let out a sigh of relief.
“Oppa, you’re out early.”
Miju, who had finished the same exam and was waiting outside, spoke to me.
“It was easier than I thought, thankfully. All the concepts you explained showed up, so I finished quickly.”
“Hehe, I’m glad I could help.”
Miju gave a bashful smile.
“Oh, right. Oppa, I have something to tell you.”
“Something to tell me?”
“You asked me before, remember? If I had any interest in being a trainer at your gym.”
“Yeah, I did. Are you interested?”
After a brief hesitation, Miju nodded.
“Yes, I’ve become interested.”
“Really?”
“Yes...”
“That’s a huge relief. You didn’t give me an answer for a while, so I thought you’d turned me down. I was worried about where to find a trainer, so this is great.”
“Is it?”
“Of course. Let’s talk about the details soon. We need to check the hourly wage and all that.”
“Okay!”
Miju’s face lit up. As much as I wanted to get her signature on a contract right then and there...
‘The System isn’t activating.’
Even though Miju said she’d be a trainer, the Gym System didn’t trigger immediately. Was there a prerequisite that she had to be under hypnosis as a member first? I figured I could talk to her privately at the gym soon enough.
Just then, Ye-seul approached.
“Oh? Senior! Miju, you’re here too?”
Seeing us, Ye-seul waved and walked over. Her short hair swayed with every step.
“I’ve been looking for you. You’re done with exams, right? Let’s all go grab a meal together.”
“A meal? Together?”
I looked back and forth between Miju and Ye-seul. I felt more nervous now than I did during the exam. I’d heard they’d had a falling out.
“The three of us?”
What if they suddenly demanded to eat with me one-on-one? But the answer I got was completely unexpected.
“Of course, the three of us! Miju, you’re okay with that, right?”
“Of course I am.”
Uh...
“Didn’t you two say you fought?”
The moment the words left my mouth, I regretted it. I’d just stepped on a landmine.
“Oh, we made up,” Miju said first.
“There were some misunderstandings, but we cleared them up.”
I’d heard they fought quite viciously at school, but I guess it was something they could resolve. Huh.
Anyway, it was good news. If they were on good terms now...
“That’s good. Shall we go then? What do you want to eat?”
I swept a hand over my chest, letting go of my anxiety. What a relief. I’d been so worried because I heard they fought over me.
As we walked toward a restaurant outside the main gate, I ignored the strange tension in the air. They were probably just still a bit awkward. Usually, when people become friends again after a fight, it takes a little time to get back to normal. Once that time passes, they often become closer than before. It was a good sign.
The three of us ate together for the first time in a while. The menu was Stir-Fried Webfoot Octopus. I went along with the two women’s shared craving for something spicy.
With thick cheese melted over the octopus, rice balls, and even Gorgonzola pizza, it was a total feast. I worried a bit about the calories while eating, but... well, just for today. Let’s call it a cheating day.
Everyone seemed to be thinking the same thing. In front of delicious food, we were all one.
Mmm.
As I watched the cheese melt, I changed the channel on the TV mounted on the wall.
— Player Im Hyun-kyung lands a powerful smash!
— Fifteen-love, Im Hyun-kyung takes the lead!
— She looks so composed even in the finals. It’s impressive.
— If she takes this game, Im Hyun-kyung will lift the trophy!
The sports channel was broadcasting Hyun-kyung’s final match. I remembered it clearly because we’d spoken on the phone this morning to cheer each other on.
“That’s the athlete you said you were doing rehabilitation for, right?” Miju asked, looking at the TV.
“Yeah, the finals are today.”
“Oho. So that’s why you went to the US last time?”
“I could see her mental state was wavering, so I rushed over.”
“You really are skilled, Oppa. Helping her get all the way to the finals...”
While we chatted over the spicy octopus, we kept an eye on Hyun-kyung’s match on the screen.
— Im Hyun-kyung! She takes the final game! She defeats the world number one, Michelle, to win the US Open!
“That’s amazing,” Ye-seul said, watching Hyun-kyung celebrate with her blonde hair flying.
“She’s an incredible athlete. Winning a world-class tournament like that.”
“No, not her. I meant you, Senior.”
“Me?”
“You took an athlete who was struggling in the Round of 16 and made her a champion. You did that, Jae-ho.”
“Is that how it works?”
“Of course. If it wasn’t for you, she probably would have been knocked out in the Quarterfinals.”
While we were talking, an interview with Hyun-kyung followed her victory ceremony. She stood before the camera with a bright smile. After thanking her coaches and sponsors in English, she suddenly spoke in Korean.
— I was able to succeed in my rehabilitation easily thanks to Trainer Choi Jae-ho, who couldn't be here. I heard he’s taking exams in Korea right now; I hope he finished them well.
She said my name in Korean. Almost simultaneously, Miju and Ye-seul turned to look at me.
“Senior.”
“Oppa.”
They asked at the exact same time.
“Yeah?”
“You two seem close.”
“Are you two on personal texting terms?”
“Well, since I was her medical coach...”
“You didn’t happen to talk to her on the phone this morning too, did you?”
“I didn’t even get a morning call from you, Senior.”
“Don’t people usually not mention names like that? Is it because you’re just that good?”
“Your PT is definitely great. Every time I get it, I find myself wanting more.”
Girls, give me a second to speak...
“So, Senior.”
“Yeah?”
“Since exams are over today, how about some PT?”
“Maybe it’s because I ate something so high in calories... I feel bloated. I think I need to exercise.”
Wait, we’re jumping to this already? The topic changed so fast my brain couldn't keep up.
“And vacation starts today, too...”
How could I refuse when the two women known as the goddesses of the campus were acting cute on both sides of me, asking for PT?
“Should we?”
Just as I was about to answer...
“Oh? So this is where you were?”
A familiar voice reached my ears. It was Young-eun.
“My, what a coincidence. I just finished my exams and came to get something spicy too.”
At Young-eun’s appearance, Miju and Ye-seul’s eyes flashed. It was the look of leopards guarding their territory. However, it didn’t seem to work on Young-eun at all. She was the lioness, the queen of the beasts.
“Long time no see, friends. Did you do well on your exams?”
“Of course. Did you do well, Unnie?”
“Well, I didn’t get to study much. But I don’t think I have to worry about academic probation.”
“Ms. Young-eun, as a member of a chaebol family, shouldn’t you care more about your grades?”
“Oh, Miju, you were here too? Your presence was so faint I didn’t even notice.”
The psychological warfare between the three of them was intense.
Zap!
Caught in the middle, I felt like I was suffocating.
“Oh, right. Jae-ho. Have you made up your mind?”
“About what?”
I prayed silently that she wouldn’t mention the broadcast together here. If that came out in this atmosphere, I might actually faint.
“About school. How much longer are you going to attend? We talked about it before—whether this school really has any meaning for you.”
“Ms. Young-eun, what’s wrong with our school? It’s the best university in Korea,” Miju interjected hastily.
“Usan University is the best, yes. But considering his major, it has nothing to do with Jae-ho’s current abilities.”
Just as the atmosphere was about to boil over...
“Wait!”
I cut them off, feeling like the restaurant might explode if this continued.
“Let’s talk about that later. I don’t think this is the place. So, let’s stop here.”
“Fine.”
Whew. This is exhausting. Cold sweat trickled down my back. My shirt was damp.
‘Was turning on the TV a mistake?’
Was it a mistake to try and eat together? Maybe coming out for the exam in the first place was the mistake.
“I’m going to the bathroom for a second.”
Feeling like I might collapse, I stood up as if escaping. I hurried to the bathroom and sent a text to Hyun-kyung. I told her I saw her victory speech and the match, that she did a great job beating the world number one, and that we should meet up when she gets back to Korea.
It was a long text. Her reply would probably be late, given the victory ceremonies and how busy she’d be.
‘If Hyun-kyung comes back to Korea too...’
What am I going to do?
*
In the seat Jae-ho had briefly vacated, sparks were flying between the three women.
“That was entertaining. Ye-seul, I thought you were just a naive freshman, but I guess not. Trying to use my man for your broadcast like that.”
“Why is he your man? We met him first, and we’ve spent much more time with him.”
“But I’m the member who pays him the most. And the investor who can provide him with the highest compensation.”
“...”
Ye-seul had no rebuttal for that.
“What can you two give him? For Jae-ho’s sake.”
Ye-seul was speechless. As Young-eun said, what she had was woefully lacking compared to Young-eun. Her Starstagram account with hundreds of thousands of followers? Young-eun could create something like that in an instant if she put her mind to it. She didn’t have a lot of money either. She was confident in her looks and body, but Young-eun wasn’t lacking in those areas either. The only thing Ye-seul had was being a few years younger. But that wasn’t the kind of thing she could boast about to Young-eun.
‘She’s not someone I can get through to.’
While Ye-seul bit her lip...
“Unlike you, Ms. Young-eun, I can give Oppa anything!” Miju cut in.
“Then what can you give him, Miju?”
“I... I can give him my bo—body!”
At Miju’s shocking statement, Young-eun’s eyebrows twitched. Ye-seul also gulped at Miju’s bold remark, which she hadn’t expected.
“N-N-No! I didn’t mean it like that, that’s not what I meant...”
Miju waved her hands in panic, but the words were already out.
“My, how bold.”
Even Young-eun was taken aback.
“That is a woman’s weapon, but it’s usually something you save for the very end. Well, I don’t dislike that kind of audacity.”
Young-eun wasn’t in a position to argue with that. Because of Miju’s shocking comment, people’s attention began to drift toward them—though it was mostly just the chef working in the kitchen.
Whether intentional or not, Miju had landed a blow.
“It’ll be uncomfortable if I stay, so I’ll be going now.”
After looking at Miju and Ye-seul for a moment, Young-eun turned away.
‘Interesting girls.’
Chicks who had just entered university. To her, they were women so far below her they were barely visible. The problem was...
Despite that, the fact that women other than herself were clinging to Jae-ho was irritating.
‘Well, it’ll be fine.’
They were all within her range of influence. If anything happened, she could handle it one way or another.
Vrrr!
— Noona, where are you?
Jae-ho’s voice came through the phone. Her heart softened slightly at the fact that he called her as soon as he realized she was gone.
“Ah, something urgent came up, so I left.”
— Sorry for leaving the table so suddenly. But why did you come by?
“Why else?”
— Is the broadcast date set?
“Yes, it’s set. Come to Yeouido by 2 PM the day after tomorrow.”
— Got it. Thanks for coming all this way to tell me.
“It was nothing.”
After taking a moment to steady her breath, Young-eun brought up the real reason she had sought him out.
“Jae-ho, do you have some time?”
— When?
“Two weeks from now, on the weekend? No, maybe a month? It could be longer.”
— I can always make time for you, Noona. But what’s up? Do you want PT?
“It’s not that...”
— Then what?
“I’ll tell you later. Anyway, you’re saying you can make it, right?”
— Yeah, I should be able to.
“Good. I’ll tell you why once the specific date is set.”
Is this really okay?
Young-eun thought of the request from her grandfather, Chairman Yoo.
‘You must go on the blind date.’
Why did her face feel so hot? Young-eun was so busy trying to cool her flushed face that she didn’t even notice Chief Park’s car arriving.