Chapter 18: Weight Training and Unexpected Rewards

– Last time, they called me because a spot opened up, so I rushed out to check it out…

– I originally signed up to volunteer only on weekends, so I think I’ll go on Sunday!

Why was I so nervous about this?

It was just a message, but I carefully typed out every single character.

The moment I sent it, the “1” disappeared, and my body flinched.

– Why are you suddenly speaking formally? lol

– I said let’s be friends.

His reply was practically real-time.

Kang Taeyang came at me with the same blunt tone he used in person.

‘Ah, no. If this kept up, I might get swept up in his pace again without realizing it.’

‘No, Yeon Wooju. Mind control. I need to stay calm especially at times like this. Kang Taeyang is the capture target whose heart I need to win. I have to take control of the situation!’

– Yeah, right!

– What are you doing now? Did you eat dinner?

I couldn’t let Kang Taeyang, an attacker who never missed a single opening, see me emotionally shaken.

I replied with a calm tone, acting as if I wasn’t flustered at all.

– [Photo]

– In the middle of rehab. So bored I could die.

The photo that followed showed a piece of exercise equipment with taut cables.

Bands securing his leg and the machine were wrapped tightly around his calf, and at the edge, I could see the toe of Kang Taeyang’s sneaker.

A glance at the top of the screen told me it had just passed six thirty.

Had Kang Taeyang been doing rehab exercises all afternoon?

– That must be tough, going so late. T_T

This time, after the “1” disappeared, there was a slight pause.

‘Did I do something wrong?’

I quietly chewed over my plain message, which couldn’t possibly have been a problem, when…

– I’ve been bored lately. Buy me a meal, friend.

The reply that came out of nowhere was a bit unexpected.

‘Right, food, we should eat, it would be nice to eat…’

Unlike Lee Rayoon, who was relatively comfortable to be around, Kang Taeyang was a burden to me in many ways.

‘No, if anything, I shouldn’t put it off and just get it over with quickly.’

– What’s your favorite kind of food??

As the conversation continued, Kang Taeyang’s responses were generally cheerful.

Strike while the iron is hot, so I promised to have lunch with him tomorrow, right away.

“Hey, but this time, somehow it feels okay.”

I closed the messenger and put down my phone with a satisfied heart.

Only then did I realize that Kang Taeyang had surprisingly answered all my questions readily.

‘…Surely he wasn’t waiting for my reply, right?’

– Want to come to the gym?

I was about to walk toward the hospital after finishing my morning classes when a message came from Kang Taeyang.

He said the workout was taking longer than expected, so how about we start from here together?

It turned out the gym wasn’t far from the restaurant we’d originally planned to meet at.

– OK.

I readily agreed and walked toward the gym instead of the hospital.

As I got closer to the edge of campus, with the mountain behind it, tall trees stood thickly.

Under the blazing sun, a cool breeze swept through the gently swaying leaves.

I pushed open the heavy iron door and carefully stepped inside the gym.

It was a weekday afternoon, so it was relatively quiet, but the indoor air was thick with humid heat.

Amid the rhythmic squeak of exercise machines, harsh breaths were mixed in.

I walked down the hallway looking for the personal training room where Kang Taeyang was.

It was a place I’d never been before, so I awkwardly glanced around, and then I saw a familiar back of the head with spiky hair.

“Ah, there he is!”

I quickly swung open the glass door, glad to see him.

Kang Taeyang, who had been lifting a heavy weight with both shoulders, stopped moving as if he sensed someone.

He furrowed his brow and slowly sat up; sweat dripped down his thick forehead.

“Oh, Yeon Wooju, you came?”

Kang Taeyang greeted me warmly, as if I were a friend he’d known for a long time.

Surprised, I looked up.

He waved his long arm, and beneath his black short-sleeved shirt, his heavy muscles were clearly visible.

“Ah, uh, uh, hey.”

I’d never been told I lacked social skills, but compared to Kang Taeyang’s overwhelming friendliness, my wave was pretty lackluster, so I shook my hand awkwardly.

Then Kang Taeyang raised his eyes playfully.

Under the shorts that came up just above his knees, his left foot was wrapped in a lighter half cast than last time.

“About twenty minutes? Just wait for me. I’ll be done soon.”

“Mm. So, you’re still rehabbing?”

“The injury is my leg. My upper body is fine, so I have to keep lifting.”

“Ah… I see.”

Last time, I’d shot back at him, determined not to lose, but speaking casually with Kang Taeyang was still awkward.

Unlike how he’d acted like a laid-back loafer at our first meeting, he now looked serious as he assessed his remaining workout, which felt a bit unfamiliar.

“I just need five more sets. Make yourself comfortable over there.”

“Yeah, okay!”

Kang Taeyang lay back down on the bench press and wiggled his fingers.

He said to make myself comfortable, but I couldn’t just lounge around with someone working out right in front of me…

I was about to perch on the chest press cushion, but instead I quickly glanced around the training room full of various machines.

Then my gaze naturally turned to Kang Taeyang doing weight training.

‘Just how many kilograms was that?’

Kang Taeyang casually lifted and lowered a barbell that looked thick and heavy, practically a weapon.

His thin T-shirt, which clearly outlined his body with each repetition, was quickly soaked in sweat.

Just watching made me feel overwhelmed, but Kang Taeyang himself showed no sign of breaking form.

Perhaps because his movements were so regular and rhythmic, watching Kang Taeyang exercise was strangely addictive, like ASMR.

I watched him, holding my breath for just over ten minutes, until a long, rough breath spread through the quiet.

Finished with his training, Kang Taeyang slowly lowered the heavy barbell.

“Phew, phew.”

Kang Taeyang wiped the sweat running along his firm jawline and narrowed his eyes.

His brow was slightly furrowed, as if the intense training had taken a toll.

“All done. Let’s go.”

Kang Taeyang tilted his head toward me.

After the intense workout, his muscles were pumped, making his already broad and solid frame look about 1.2 times its usual size.

His bronze skin, flushed slightly red, gleamed sleekly with sweat in places.

“Uh… but aren’t you tired?”

“My body’s used to training three or four hours a day, so if I skip, I feel even more stiff.”

“Whoa, I see…”

“Also, I need to keep my muscle mass maintained.”

“Wow…”

As Kang Taeyang got up, I snuck a glance at the bench press and, checking the weight, my eyes widened on their own.

I’m the type who never really exercised, but back in the summer vacation of my first year, I briefly went to the gym to get fit.

Even with less than a quarter of that weight, I thought I was going to die it was so hard…

“Ahem, ahem.”

I was admiring how different professional athletes were, obviously, when I heard him clear his throat.

I looked up, and Kang Taeyang’s lips twitched with a smug expression.

‘Wait a minute, I think he’s misunderstanding something again?’

“How about it? Did you fall for me again?”

It was just as I expected.

His arrogance was top-tier.

I seriously agonized over whether to correct “again” or “fall for” first.

“You said you have a dream about exercise, right?”

But Kang Taeyang didn’t give me time to answer and casually added.

It was a bit surprising that he remembered something I’d said, so I blinked slowly.

“What do you mean by that?”

“That day, you came on so strong, and then you never contacted me. I thought if you saw me working out, you might change your mind.”

He lifted his chin and put on a shameless face, but he kept glancing at me to check my reaction.

I’d suspected it, but it seemed he really had called me to the gym today to show off his workout.

And on top of that, he’d been holding a grudge about me not replying to his message?

“Who ever said I had a dream about someone who exercises? I said I have a dream about exercising.”

“What? Are those different?”

“Of course they’re different. I also wanted to get abs last year… They say people quit after three days, but I made it exactly one day and collapsed.”

Kang Taeyang subtly narrowed his eyes and scanned my body.

His sticky gaze clung to my plain neck and chest.

‘Ah, wait, is he eyeing me right now?’

Driven by instinctive alarm, I start to subtly cover my upper body, but instead of lunging threateningly at me, Kang Taeyang burst out laughing.

“…You just laughed at me, didn’t you.”

“No, absolutely not. How could I do that to you, Wooju?”

“Even if you say that with that face, I don’t believe you a bit.”

“Hey, that’s unfair. I’m not the kind of person who looks down on someone over something like that.”

We bickered as if we’d really become close just by acting close.

The awkwardness soon faded.

And so, stepping back from the not-so-great first impression and the terrifying rumors surrounding him, I could genuinely admire Kang Taeyang’s hard work.

“Anyway, you’re amazing. Since you’ve worked hard every day without missing a single day, you can lift this much.”

[Affection ❤️5]

Then the heart above Kang Taeyang’s head trembled, and his affection went up by 3%.

“Ah…”

Really, it was this easy?

I never expected his affection to rise so smoothly, so I blinked blankly.

‘Kang Taeyang, despite how he looked, was secretly weak to compliments.’

“Then… should I help you?”

Kang Taeyang casually moved closer to me, who was still bewildered.

Startled by the hot heat wafting over, I turned to see Kang Taeyang standing right behind me.

“Huh? What?”

“You said you want to get abs. I’ll teach you how to work out.”

‘Well, of course, a man’s dream is abs, so that’s true. But right here, right now?’

Instead of answering, I chewed my lip.

I tried to find various reasons in my head, like this was a game and we were supposed to have lunch together, but honestly, I only dreamed of having abs in words; I didn’t really feel like exercising.

“Hey, do you think an opportunity to get weight training coaching from a national athlete is that common?”

I tried to slip away from the shadow cast by Kang Taeyang’s broad shoulders.

But he caught on right away and grabbed my arm.

His sharply raised eyes gleamed confidently.

“That’s true, but…”

I was annoyed by his cocky tone, but he wasn’t wrong.

I slumped my shoulders and reluctantly nodded.

“Then teach me something that won’t make me too sore when I wake up tomorrow.”

“Haha. Got it. Go change into workout clothes and come back here quickly.”

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