Chapter 7

Chapter 7 (7/200)

Chapter 7

“…….”

A neatly arranged underground gym.

Everywhere, white-haired giants were silently lifting weights.

Arms bulging as if they were about to burst.

Backs so broad they seemed vast.

Lower bodies like tree roots.

The elderly, with physiques that could be described as monstrous, continued to train their bodies intensely, paying no heed to Im Ki's arrival.

‘Did I come to the right place?’

His mind reeled.

He had looked up information about this place on the internet before coming.

It was said to be a gym run by a single manager, and the monthly fee was only 30,000 won, which was relatively cheap.

That's why he came.

‘I didn't expect it to be like this.’

He wasn't sure who to talk to.

There was no one at the counter.

Everyone was so engrossed in their workouts that he couldn't even approach them, and he found himself standing awkwardly at the entrance.

Bang!

A sound like a bomb exploding came from somewhere.

Startled, he turned his gaze and saw that someone had dropped a barbell, causing the noise.

‘That was a shock.’

But what was even more surprising was that no one even glanced in that direction.

The owner of the barbell.

This old man displayed an especially aggressive physique, even in this bizarre gym.

To the point where he resembled a statue from ancient Greece.

“Huff.”

He exhaled a hot breath.

The gym felt cramped.

Or rather, it felt cramped.

At that moment, he felt the overwhelming presence of the man as a living being.

The man turned his head and looked at Im Ki with a menacing gaze.

“Oh!”

He let out an exclamation that didn't fit the situation.

With a wide smile.

* * *

A sofa and a small table set up in a corner of the gym.

“Phew, young man, how did you know about this place?”

The monster, or rather, Manager Kwon Jun-yong, who had been dedicated to weightlifting just moments ago, said this while lifting a coffee cup.

“Sit down. Ah, this isn't just coffee; it's sugar-free cold brew, so you don't have to worry about carbs. Ha ha!”

“Ah… Yes.”

He had never seen someone mention carbs while serving coffee.

But something felt off.

This manager, despite his overwhelming appearance, was excessively friendly in his manner.

‘Is his inner and outer self different?’

But his threatening biceps, in contrast to his smiling eyes, were a cause for concern.

He could probably tear a tire with a single effort.

Im Ki sipped the coffee cautiously.

Manager Kwon Jun-yong's eyes sparkled as he spoke.

“So, you came here to sign up, right?”

“Yes, but I need to think about it a bit more….”

Just as he was about to say he needed to think more about it.

Manager Kwon Jun-yong clapped his hands and said.

“Oh! That's right! Then there's no choice! You've come to our gym at just the right time!”

Im Ki flinched, and the manager stared at him intently.

“Do you know how much our monthly fee is?”

“Yes, 30,000 won per month.”

At that moment, Im Ki thought.

Now that he thought about it, 30,000 won per month was indeed very cheap for a facility. There must be something hidden, right?

Why, you see such places on the internet all the time.

They look cheap on the surface, but in reality, there are conditions attached.

‘Like a discount price if you pay for 12 months in advance.’

His suspicions grew.

“Fortunately, you've come at the right time. We're running a special promotion, so there's actually a different price.”

Sure enough.

There is a real price.

Manager Kwon Jun-yong pulled out a pamphlet and showed it to him.

“If you pay for six months in advance.”

His suspicion turned into certainty.

“I'll give you 20,000 won per month. How about that?”

“Indeed, the price….”

Just as Im Ki was about to refuse the negotiation.

“Huh?”

He realized he had heard something wrong.

Wait, what did this person just say?

20,000 won per month?

Not 30,000 won.

“We don't usually do this, but we're running a promotion right now.”

“Promotion?”

“Besides, it's winter now. The timing is perfect. If you work out hard for exactly six months, I can make you look like a bodybuilder. You'll want to take off your shirt at the beach in summer, right?”

“…….”

Im Ki sat quietly and listened, while Manager Kwon Jun-yong continued his monologue, getting more and more excited.

“This place is different from other gyms. Nowadays, PT shops and others just focus on money, but we don't charge extra fees. We're a traditional gym run by a manager, and I'm always here to help. Ha ha, you're getting a great deal.”

The way he addressed Im Ki had subtly changed to "member."

“Also, many people misunderstand, but not all famous gyms are good. They often force you to buy supplements from overseas and push sales during classes. We don't do that.”

This person, who seemed so quiet on the outside, was surprisingly talkative.

Moreover, he was desperately and forcefully trying to keep Im Ki.

‘I can't even get a word in edgewise.’

Im Ki couldn't find the right moment to speak and just listened.

But perhaps Manager Kwon Jun-yong interpreted this differently.

“Oh, I'm in a good mood today!”

He glanced around and shouted heartily.

“If you pay today, you can use the towels, workout clothes, and lockers for free!”

The conditions got better.

Without any input from Im Ki, the conditions just kept improving.

Manager Kwon Jun-yong, not satisfied with this, spread his fingers and added.

“Ah, I'm in a good mood! The first month is free. How about that? You won't find such a deal anywhere else.”

Just when Im Ki thought the conditions couldn't get any better, they did.

At that moment, an old man with bulging muscles appeared and said.

“Hey, Manager Kwon. Aren't you being too nice to the new member? That's discrimination.”

“Are you and this one the same?”

“What's different?”

“The number of bowls of sliced pork soup you get is different.”

It seemed he was giving overt preferential treatment to Im Ki.

At this point, even if Im Ki's mind was set in stone, he couldn't help but notice.

‘Is business not going well here?’

There's always a reason when a gym is giving so much.

A gym with no members is worse than one with a few.

The worse the business, the more likely the manager's salary is non-existent.

Towels and workout clothes need to be washed, which costs money.

Personal training also costs money.

That's why Manager Kwon Jun-yong was making such desperate offers to Im Ki.

In fact, Im Ki's suspicions were not far off.

Manager Kwon Jun-yong was indeed showing overt greed.

‘What kind of gym is this, not a retirement home, but only old people who have nothing to do come here, so no new members can join.’

Business wasn't going well.

And it was all because of the elderly members who frequented the gym.

While a small, elite group of members might be good for a PT shop, for a traditional gym like this, it was a curse.

In such a situation, a young member was a rare sight.

He couldn't afford to let this one slip away.

‘This young man, from his looks, could be a good investment if developed.’

Not to mention, he looked quite good.

Just his face alone.

His frame (skeleton) also showed potential. A small head with well-proportioned shoulders.

Being skinny was a flaw, but on the other hand, being this skinny and still looking this way.

With some muscle, he could quickly become a strong presence.

A good age and a good face.

He needed to increase the ratio of young members.

‘Even if he doesn't compete in a competition, I'll make sure he gets a body profile taken, by force if necessary.’

He would hold on to him by force.

While Manager Kwon Jun-yong was hiding his true intentions, Im Ki's mind was also working furiously.

‘If I think about it, it's not a bad deal.’

At first, the shock of a gym full of old people left no room for his brain to breathe.

But as he gained some composure, he started to notice his surroundings.

‘Just by looking at the bodies of the people here, you can tell they know their stuff. The trophies and commemorative photos suggest they have a history as athletes.’

This gym wasn't just any famous gym. It probably failed due to poor marketing.

The sign outside looked quite shabby.

There were many old men with bulging muscles.

Women might have found it intimidating, and men might have wondered why they didn't come.

‘Is it because there are no female members?’

It made sense.

But to Im Ki, the age or gender of the members was not important.

His goal was to build a good body.

Moreover, the manager was desperately hoping he would sign up.

‘Since there's no choice with the gym fees, and he's even offering personal training, I'll take it.’

Personal training sessions usually cost around 40,000 to 50,000 won each.

Even if he didn't teach as well as a personal trainer, there was no harm in it since there were no other members.

Good.

Im Ki, having made up his mind, spoke.

“Then, about supplements.”

“Oh, you'll have to order protein yourself. Preferably through overseas direct purchase.”

Ah, as expected.

Not everything is free.

He thought.

“There's a leftover container in the warehouse. I'll give it to you, so use it until the delivery arrives.”

No, everything is free.

You won't find such generosity anywhere else.

Im Ki gave up on further deliberation and said.

“Six months in advance for 100,000 won, right?”

100,000 won for six months.

He decided to come at least twice a week and be consistent.

Just as he was thinking this, Manager Kwon Jun-yong smiled and said.

“If you pay in cash, I can give you an additional 10% discount.”

“…….”

* * *

On the first day of training.

Manager Kwon Jun-yong might not be the best at teaching, but he was definitely good at pushing.

To put it bluntly, it was bone-chilling.

His enthusiasm was strangely overwhelming.

Even though it was his first workout and he couldn't complete the sets, Manager Kwon Jun-yong didn't let him off.

If he couldn't do it, he would physically force him to complete it.

On the first day, he trained his back and arms for two hours straight. After that, the manager even helped him plan his meals according to his budget.

By the time he finished, the sky was yellow.

‘His enthusiasm is good, but if I keep training like this every day, I won't have any energy left.’

He was an aspiring actor, not a bodybuilder.

With his body creaking, he couldn't act properly.

So, he wobbled like a puppet on his way to his part-time job.

“Oh.”

He received a message.

The day to take action had arrived.

The moment was right in front of him.