Chapter 6: Preparing for Miju
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 6: Preparing for Miju
I headed out early in the morning to buy some gym equipment.
After all, without the right gear, I wouldn't be able to satisfy my first client, Miju.
There was a store specializing in fitness equipment not far from my house. I had bought my dumbbells, barbells, and slides there before, though back then I ordered them online and never had a reason to visit in person.
‘But I don’t have time to wait for delivery right now.’
And so, I found myself forced to visit the store.
“Whew, I’m actually nervous.”
My heart was thumping for no reason.
You know that feeling? That anxiety that a store clerk will pounce on you the moment you walk in, or the pressure to buy something just because you’re there. That was exactly how I felt.
“Don’t be a sucker.”
Slap!
I slapped both my cheeks hard and stepped inside.
Ding!
A system window popped up simultaneously.
[Equipment Purchase]
[A good gym needs good equipment, right?]
[Recommended Purchase List]
[Sit-up Board]
[Gym Wear, Sneakers]
[Spare Workout Towels]
[Yoga Mat]
[Foam Roller]
[Gym Ball]
[Reward: 10 HP, New Content Unlocked]
That’s a lot. Do I really have to buy all of this?
Carrying it all by hand was out of the question. I regretted not renting a car.
“Welcome!”
A booming voice broke my train of thought.
The man had a muscular build packed into tight-fitting clothes. Perhaps because it was a fitness store, he looked more like a trainer than a salesman.
“Looking for anything in particular?” the clerk asked with a beaming smile.
“Ah, well...”
I listed the items the system had specified.
“I’m looking for some gym wear and a sit-up board.”
“Ah, a sit-up board! Right this way.”
Did his eyes just flash? Maybe it was just my imagination.
“We have the largest selection of equipment in this area. That goes for sit-up boards, too. First, take a look at this model...”
The clerk introduced a sit-up board. It was the kind of equipment you’d easily see at a gym or a park—a padded board for a person to lie on, set at an angle, with a small bar at the top to hook your feet under.
Most of them had the same basic structure. Of course, the more expensive they were, the more bells and whistles were tacked onto the frame.
“You look like you’re just starting out with exercise, am I right?”
“Yes.”
“Then I highly recommend this product. Not only can you do sit-ups, but the angle is adjustable, so you can use it as a bench for bench presses or dumbbell exercises. You can even do push-ups on it if you want. It goes for about 850,000 won.”
Multiple functions in one piece of equipment? I was tempted.
‘That might actually be good.’
Just as I was stroking my chin in thought—
[This product is not recommended.]
The system appeared.
[This equipment requires a significant amount of HP to upgrade.]
Upgrade?
Before I could process the question, the next message appeared.
[It is too difficult to use at the Trainer’s current level. At your current level, this product is recommended.]
Simultaneously, a red arrow pointed toward a different sit-up board.
It was a simple piece of equipment. It was designed solely for sit-ups and crunches.
Well, the system was far more trustworthy than a salesman.
“Excuse me, what about this one?”
“Oh, that one?”
The clerk’s expression turned lukewarm. It was the face of a man who had just lost a sucker.
“That’s a budget model, only 100,000 won. But the equipment itself has some flaws...”
“I’ll take this one.”
“Are you sure? The angle isn’t adjustable.”
“I’ll take it.”
Once I made up my mind, I didn't waver. I had too many things to buy anyway. It would be reckless to dump all my money into a single sit-up board.
“And I need some gym wear.”
“Gym wear? What size?”
“Size? Ah, well...”
Come to think of it, I didn't know Miju’s size. She didn't seem extremely thin, though.
“For someone your size, you’d probably need a Large because of your height.”
“Oh, it’s not for me. I’m looking for women’s wear.”
“Ah, a gift for your girlfriend?”
“Not exactly...”
“Just tell me her size. We have many types, but these are the ones usually used for women.”
I hit an unexpected wall. She didn't seem skin-and-bones, so would a Medium work? If it was too big, it would be baggy...
“We have everything from loose, boxy styles to outfits that emphasize the figure. It’s a matter of preference, really...”
The baggy clothes made it hard to guess the size, and the form-fitting ones had so little fabric I wondered if they were even legal.
“Hmm.”
A Medium should probably fit.
“I’ll take a Medium. As for the color...”
I thought of Miju. She was like bright sunshine. The first color that came to mind was yellow. I imagined Miju in yellow gym wear. It suited her perfectly.
“Yellow, please.”
“Haha, understood. Anything else...?”
[Recommended items.]
The system pointed out the items again.
“I’ll look around on my own.”
I brushed off the clerk who was still trying to fleece me and began browsing the items.
*
“Wow... I really bought a lot.”
I looked at the equipment that had just been delivered to my house. A sit-up board, a yoga mat, and a foam roller. New tools had been added to my arsenal. On top of that, I had finished purchasing essentials like gym wear and sneakers.
“I think I got a good deal.”
It was all thanks to shaking off that clerk who kept trying to overcharge me. The system’s help was huge. I felt a sense of pride. I began to visualize how I would train Miju using this gear.
Right then—
[First purchase successful.]
[You have earned 10 Health Points (HP).]
[New content unlocked.]
[New Content – Equipment Upgrade]
[There are many ways to acquire equipment. You can buy it with HP, or save HP by using money. However, items bought with money are bound to have flaws.]
[Additional content for the Trainer!]
[Equipment Upgrade]
[You can consume HP to upgrade your equipment.]
“Equipment... upgrade?”
The message that appeared when I was buying the sit-up board had mentioned upgrades too. An upgrade, huh? I wondered how it would change the equipment.
As if reading my mind, a new message appeared.
[To celebrate the opening, one upgrade will be provided for 10 HP.]
10 points for one upgrade.
I looked at the equipment sitting in my living room. Dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, the slide, and the newly purchased sit-up board.
If I was going to upgrade something... the sit-up board was the best choice. It seemed like it would have the most utility after an upgrade.
“I’ll go with the sit-up board.”
[Consuming 10 HP to upgrade the Sit-up Board.]
With that, the sit-up board began to glow brilliantly.
Flash!
A light so bright it was blinding filled the living room. I shielded my eyes. The light vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
[Sit-up Board +1]
The window popped up. And the effects?
[Great Success!]
[Additional effects have been added.]
[Gain-Muscle Abs (B): The effectiveness of abdominal exercises increases by 50%.]
[Smooth Physique (B): Helps with body contouring and correction.]
[50 HP is required for the next level up.]
It seemed like abilities were attached every time I upgraded.
[The additional effects are strengthened with every level.]
“Not bad. Does that mean items bought directly with HP have even better effects?”
[That is correct.]
If I played my cards right, I could really benefit from having superior gear. Now, all that was left...
“I should practice the exercises I’ll be teaching Miju when she gets here.”
And earn some points while I’m at it.
*
Miju looked at herself in the mirror.
“This is a bit much. It looks like I tried too hard.”
She was wearing a tight skirt that came up above her knees, paired with a knit cardigan. Who would wear something like this to work out? It screamed that she had put a lot of effort into her appearance.
‘It’s not good to give him the wrong idea.’
She changed her clothes.
Choi Jae-ho.
He kept weighing on her mind. He was a man who kept his distance from women—including her and all the other female part-timers. She had even seen him acting awkward around female customers.
Gloomy and depressed. That was Kang Mi-ju’s first impression of Choi Jae-ho. A man who was somehow difficult to approach.
Then, by chance, she had seen him doing the dishes. It was a greasy, unpleasant task that everyone else avoided, but he took it on as if it were nothing. He had even volunteered for it.
While washing the dishes, he was smiling. He seemed genuinely focused and happy with his work, oblivious to his surroundings.
What was so enjoyable about it? She became curious. He was a man who strangely drew her gaze. She had tried approaching him a few times, but Jae-ho had kept his distance every time. It made her stubborn.
Then one day, while she was preoccupied with him, she felt something had changed.
What was it? He had gained a strange sense of confidence, and his posture had straightened. It was obvious at a glance.
‘It’s just because he’s an interesting guy.’
That was why she had approached him while he was mopping the floor.
“Jae-ho oppa, did you start working out?”
He said he had, so she asked where.
After hesitating, Jae-ho showed her a text message with a ridiculous-sounding advertisement. The phrasing in the text was strangely alluring. It felt like she absolutely had to go—like she would regret it if she missed this chance.
She didn't know why, but the urge to visit that gym welled up inside her. So she had asked to go.
She still wasn't sure why she wanted to go to that gym so badly.
“I don’t even like exercising that much. It’s weird.”
Still, the appointment was made, and she was still curious about Jae-ho’s peculiar personality. It was something Miju—a natural social butterfly, bright as the sun—couldn't quite wrap her head around.
“This should do.”
A white T-shirt and casual pants, paired with sneakers. It was a look that was stylish enough without being tacky, yet looked effortless.
‘I’m going with a guy I work with, after all.’
A woman’s image was important. Fully dressed, Miju headed toward the meeting place: Jae-ho’s house.