Chapter 5
After having my first meal with Seo Ha-eun, I kept my promise to her and didn't speak to her for three days.
Whenever we crossed paths, I greeted her.
I even worked out far away from her so I wouldn't bother her.
But once the shade is gone, getting battered by sunlight is inevitable.
From a distance, I watched Seo Ha-eun continue to be hounded by the trainer,
and whenever I happened to glance at her, she, in turn, started looking at me more often.
“Hello.”
“⋯Hello.”
March 14.
It was White Day, but I hadn't prepared any candy.
That didn't mean I had no plan.
I could have drawn it out longer, but if I left things alone, Seo Ha-eun seemed likely to quit the gym, just like all the female members who had passed through before her.
As before, I walked over near her, put down my things, and began stretching with a shameless expression.
“Annoying, right?”
“⋯Pardon?”
“He's annoying. That guy.”
“⋯Yes.”
Even without naming names, we were starting to understand each other.
Having something to talk about in common made it easier to grow closer.
“I see that sort of thing all the time when I take my girlfriend to the gym, so I just train her myself. Guys like that piss me off, too.”
“He wasn't like that at my old gym, but he's a bit much.”
“People are the problem, not the profession. Can't be helped.”
Today, I openly let the trainer who had been loitering around know that he was unwelcome, then got on the treadmill beside her and started talking to her.
Don't touch her.
This is my prey.
I conveyed the hostility through my eyes without saying a word.
“More importantly, didn't you say a few days ago that you'd report me if I talked to you?”
“⋯There's someone else I need to report now, so I'll let you off, Mr. Kang Juhyeok.”
“You sound like you've actually reported someone before. Come to think of it, you did last time, too⋯.”
“I have. In high school, because some strange man latched onto me.”
“What did he do?”
“⋯He was on the baseball team.”
“Ah.”
But I'd been paying too much attention to that pest, so I couldn't hide my surprise at the words that came out of her mouth.
⋯This woman had openly disliked baseball players for years. Had there been some story behind it?
Considering her face and figure, one stalking incident wouldn't have been surprising, but hearing a familiar word from her caught me off guard.
“Well⋯, like you said, Mr. Kang Juhyeok. People are the problem, not the profession.”
“Exactly.”
I felt as though I'd caught a glimpse beneath that brusque, ill-mannered attitude, and despite the unpleasant nature of the story, my fingers and toes tingled with excitement.
The more I learned about her, the more openings I found to pry into.
Judging by the way she talked, she didn't even seem to have much dating experience.
“I'm going to work out here today. Would you like me to go somewhere else if I'm making you uncomfortable?”
“It's fine. Do as you please. You're not bothering me.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
“Why are you thanking me?”
“For not reporting me.”
“⋯What are you even saying?”
And as for playing with inexperienced people,
I could confidently say I was more used to it than anyone.
***
The next day, the 15th.
I went to the same place as yesterday, sighing heavily as I put down my things.
My clothes were the same as usual, but my hair was a mess.
I'd rubbed my eyes hard enough to leave them fairly bloodshot.
It was no wonder Seo Ha-eun jumped in surprise when she spotted me.
“⋯Hello.”
“Ah⋯, hello.”
I greeted her in a voice that barely carried, then climbed onto the treadmill with a breathless gasp.
I walked at a crawling speed to match my voice, clutching my phone in both hands and obsessively checking KakaoTalk.
“⋯.”
I put my phone in my pocket,
then looked up at the ceiling,
took it back out and tapped away at something again,
then looked down at the floor and sighed heavily,
and finally got off the treadmill after ten minutes, sat on a bench, held my forehead, and toyed with my phone in one hand.
I even opened my photo album.
I looked at a pretty woman's face.
Deleted it.
Restored it again.
“⋯Fucking bitch⋯.”
“⋯Um, excuse me.”
“Why?”
“Ah, ⋯nothing.”
After making a whole fuss and loudly advertising, ‘I'm depressed~,’ Seo Ha-eun, practically frightened, spoke to me, but I brushed even that off.
Then I left my things sitting there, went into the bathroom, splashed water on my face, rubbed my bloodshot eyes raw again, and trudged back to my usual spot.
“⋯I'm sorry.”
“Yes, yes?”
“For snapping at you for no reason earlier⋯.”
“No, no, no. It's okay⋯.”
When my usually slick and shameless self became a wreck overnight, even Seo Ha-eun, who had never shown me the slightest kindness, seemed quite flustered.
Naturally.
If I were her, I'd be seriously bothered if a muscle-bound man nearly 190 centimeters tall and weighing close to 100 kilograms were sniffling beside me like a little girl.
“⋯Did something happen, Mr. Kang Juhyeok?”
“Well⋯, it's nothing⋯. It's not something you need to be concerned about, Ms. Ha-eun⋯.”
But telling someone who was already concerned to concern themselves with me would have been the stupidest possible response.
‘Don't worry about it.’
‘It's none of your business.’
You have to keep rebuffing them like that, then reluctantly open up about your troubles, so that the person who cares can get some satisfaction out of caring.
“⋯Could it be your girlfriend⋯. Ah. That was presumptuous⋯.”
“⋯It wasn't presumptuous. ⋯It's okay.”
To give her the sense of fulfillment that she was someone who could empathize with and comfort others, it was better to throw out hints and let her figure out the answer herself.
People fall apart for two main reasons: half the time it's money, and half the time it's romance.
I'd never once seen someone sobbing because they'd fallen out with a friend.
I had seen friends of acquaintances steal their money and run off a few times, though.
“⋯Ah, I can't do this. I'm sorry. I'll go first.”
“⋯.”
“⋯But, haa. That guy will do it again⋯. Hoo. Why are there nothing but strange people around me?”
“⋯.”
“Ms. Ha-eun.”
“⋯Yes.”
“Should I just sit on the bench for a while?”
“⋯Pardon?”
“I'll just sit here until you finish working out. ⋯I don't feel like moving right now.”
“Yes⋯, yes. Go ahead.”
And I'd never once seen anyone thoughtlessly tell someone who was sobbing to get lost.
They say a woman's tears are manipulation, but a man's sighs can be useful in their own way.
The moment I gave off the impression that I might show up on the roof if left alone, anyone nearby had no choice but to get caught up in it, whether they wanted to or not.
Unless they were completely indifferent, that is.
This woman hated me.
***
For about thirty minutes, I aimlessly toyed with my phone while sneaking glances at Seo Ha-eun as she worked out.
Since I had to stay in character, I needed to clear my mind of distractions, but I couldn't forget the way her luscious ass swayed.
Even if I had really broken up with a girlfriend instead of merely acting as though I had, seeing that sight would probably have stirred my lust.
I knew I was that kind of man, which was why I generally didn't date.
“Excuse me, Mr. Kang Juhyeok.”
“Ah, Ms. Ha-eun.”
“Um, I⋯. I've finished working out⋯.”
“Ah⋯. Yes.”
Seo Ha-eun's face, flustered and unsure what to do as though she'd discovered a time bomb, was quite a treat in its own right.
Her attitude made me entertain lewd thoughts, as though she'd grant me anything I asked for, but if I actually said anything, her expression would obviously twist at once, so I firmly swallowed those thoughts back down.
“Um, well⋯. Uh.”
“⋯Thank you.”
“No, no, no. I didn't do anything⋯.”
I gave her a little bow to thank her for the eye candy, and when she jumped in surprise and waved her hands, I bowed even deeper.
Without waiting for her answer, I gathered my things and strode toward the showers, leaving the conversation hanging.
Leaving my phone on the bench.
“Oh, wait⋯.”
Seo Ha-eun noticed it right away and called out to me, but I pretended not to hear and went into the showers, letting the water beat down on me for a long while.
Long enough for there to still be time after she'd finished washing.
I leisurely soaked myself, spritzed on some perfume for the first time in ages, and tidied my hair.
I looked a little rough, but presentable enough.
“⋯Ah, Mr. Kang Juhyeok.”
“Ms. Ha-eun?”
“You left your phone behind⋯.”
“Ah⋯.”
When I came downstairs, Seo Ha-eun was waiting for me in the same hoodie she'd worn that time, and she handed me my phone.
I accepted it with a dumbfounded look, too stunned even to thank her, and stared blankly at her.
“⋯Are you really okay?”
“I'm oka⋯. ⋯No.”
“⋯.”
Curiosity.
Fluster.
Concern.
⋯Enough.
Reading this much emotion in her eyes was enough to satisfy me.
There was no need to push and pull any further.
“⋯Ms. Ha-eun.”
“Yes.”
“I want to have a drink. Would you mind watching over me?”
“⋯Pardon?”
“If I drink alone, I think I'll drink too⋯ much.”
“⋯.”
Playing the tragic male lead,
and playing the compassionate female lead,
“⋯Ah, no. No. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked you for such a thing⋯.”
“It's okay.”
“Huh?”
“⋯If you stopped coming to the gym, that would be a little inconvenient for me too. I'll drink with you this once.”
“⋯Thank you.”
“You don't need to thank me.”
This was enough.
The days of just licking my lips while looking at those tits,
were over as of today.