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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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It had been two weeks since she started streaming as “Solitary Trainer.”
The stream is going smoothly.
Well, calling it “going smoothly” feels a little too grand, to be honest.
She wasn’t doing anything, really.
She just set up the camera, worked out, and plugged her channels before ending the stream.
Since the day before yesterday, she had even started including her gym cleaning routine in the streams.
A viewer had donated a whopping 100,000 won, which had significantly boosted her motivation.
She usually earned around 20,000-30,000 won per stream, so a 100,000 won donation was a big deal.
– I think I can actually pay off my debt if I keep this up!
Even the perpetually pessimistic Ga-ram was starting to sound delusional.
That’s how much her mood had improved.
The initial wave of viewers who had tuned in out of curiosity had mostly moved on.
Her current audience consisted mainly of fitness professionals and enthusiasts.
The professionals marveled at her physique and training regimen, while the enthusiasts admired her strength and enjoyed the… eye candy.
It was like she had created a virtual agora for gym rats.
Viewers debated the finer points of her workout routines, and some even synced their own workouts to her streaming schedule.
And the donations kept trickling in.
Things were looking good.
I hadn’t told her yet, but I was also managing a YouTube channel with edited clips from her streams.
It wasn’t monetized yet, but it was only a matter of time.
Oh, Algorithm Gods, please bless us.
I drove, lost in thought.
Ring, ring, ring~
“Hello?”
[Hey, hyung-nim. How’s the drive?]
I was on my way to Donghae.
“Almost there. Everything okay?”
[Yeah, same old, same old. I’m going to inspect the buildings, see if any maintenance is needed.]
“Take your time. Don’t try to do it all at once.”
[Will do.]
I hung up and focused on the road.
The highway stretched out before me, empty and inviting.
I pressed the accelerator, the engine roaring as the car surged forward.
The reason for this sudden trip to Donghae was my health.
A week after increasing the intensity of my workouts to break through the plateau, I woke up with a nosebleed.
I had experienced dizziness before, but this was the first time I had a nosebleed and felt dizzy. I decided to see a doctor.
Ho-chul had made an appointment for me with a specialist—someone I had never met in this life—who greeted me warmly.
– Wow, you’ve lost a lot of weight.
The doctor looked at my chart.
– I’ve started working out.
– That’s great! Taking that first step is always the hardest.
– Thank you. Do you know what caused the nosebleed?
I was a little worried. This body was a ticking time bomb.
– Well, we discussed your health issues before…
– It seems you’ve been pushing yourself too hard lately.
– Ah… yes, I have been working out quite intensely…
The lack of sleep from managing the YouTube channel probably wasn’t helping either.
– Even though you’ve lost weight, you still need to be careful. Remember what I said? Your body is like a ticking time bomb.
I had almost forgotten.
– It’s good that you’re exercising, but avoid any sudden spikes in blood pressure or heart rate.
I left the hospital with a prescription for blood pressure medication and some other pills I couldn’t identify.
– And take some time off. Go somewhere quiet and relaxing. Enjoy the scenery.
– You have the luxury of time, after all.
That’s why I was going to Donghae.
I told Ho-chul I needed an extended vacation, and he booked me a week at a hotel with an ocean view.
On my dime, of course.
This was the first real opportunity I had to relax and clear my head since arriving in this world.
The doctor had advised rest, but I also needed a break for my own sanity.
Constantly jumping between dimensions, possessing different bodies, living out someone else’s life…
It was a burden I couldn’t share with anyone. I needed some time alone.
That’s what this vacation was for.
Some uninterrupted peace and quiet.
Ga-ram’s stream was doing well, so it seemed like a good time to take a break.
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After checking in, I stood on the balcony, sipping water and looking out at the ocean.
The afternoon sun glinted off the waves in the distance.
It was a beautiful, open vista, a stark contrast to the concrete jungle of Seoul.
I imagined how stunning the sunset would be.
Not as beautiful as the mountain sunset I had watched with Master, but still.
I decided to relax.
I unpacked my bags, sat in a comfortable chair, and started reading.
The cool breeze was refreshing.
Ring, ring, ring~
My phone rang. It was Ga-ram.
“Hello?”
[Hey, In-ho-nim. Did you arrive safely?]
“Yes, I just unpacked and I’m relaxing.”
[Good. Don’t forget about your diet, even on vacation. Only one indulgent meal per day.]
“I know, I know. The hotel has a gym, so I’ll do some cardio every day.”
[Good. We’ll do another InBody scan when you get back.]
She was relentless.
“Okay. Good luck with your evening stream. Everything okay at the gym?”
[Yes! … Oh, and we had a few new members sign up today!]
“That’s great news.”
[I know! Things are finally looking up.]
We chatted for a bit longer before hanging up.
I returned to my book, but the phone rang again.
“Did I forget something?”
Why call when you can text?
I thought as I answered. But it wasn’t Ga-ram.
[So, you’ll still answer my calls?]
It was Hana.
My peaceful mood evaporated.
“What do you want? We’re done.”
[Oppa… can you help me just this once?]
Her voice was pleading.
“Help you with what?”
[My ranking has dropped. I’m not earning as much as I used to.]
“So?”
[You know about my online store, the debt… and the car insurance…]
Which I used to pay for.
She seemed to swallow those words.
I had learned something important after breaking up with Hana.
I, or rather, the previous owner of this body, had been a complete sucker.
He had paid for everything, so she had probably forgotten what it was like to be financially responsible.
That’s why she hadn’t seemed too concerned about our breakup initially.
It was ridiculous.
I was the one with the money, but she had somehow held all the power.
Now that her income had decreased, and her expenses were piling up, she had swallowed her pride and called me.
“Why should I help you?”
[But…]
“Sell the car if you can’t afford it. And the online store? Close it down if it’s not making money.”
[Oppa… don’t be so cold.]
I was annoyed. She was interrupting my vacation.
“Don’t call me again. I told you, I’m done. I’m blocking your number this time.”
[Did you find someone new?]
Her pleading tone shifted to one of suspicion.
“What?”
[You’re seeing another streamer, aren’t you?]
“What are you talking about?”
[Solitary Trainer. That’s the stream you’ve been watching.]
My heart sank.
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