NOVEL NEXT Chapter 464
“Cheon Saetbyeol, what did you eat while we were gone? I checked the fridge, and there were no ingredients at all.”
“Lunch was school lunch, and dinner was just some random stuff thrown together…”
Saetbyeol trailed off awkwardly.
As my gaze fell downwards, she hid her slightly bulging belly with her hands.
The clear six-pack abs that used to be visible were now buried under some soft rolls.
It feels nice to touch, but gaining weight rapidly increases the risk of adult diseases.
“Random stuff, huh.”
“Random stuff like chicken or pizza…”
“Takeout? Anything else besides chicken and pizza?”
“Tteokbokki.”
“Keep going; don’t stop.”
“Mulhoe. Malatang. Burger. Bossam. Sushi. Though sometimes I ordered chicken breast salad for a healthy meal.”
“Sounds like bragging.”
“Eeeek!”
After giving her a playful hit on the head, I decided to correct her bad eating habits.
“This won’t do. Starting today, you’re exercising with me every day.”
“Eek!”
I feel like I’ve also slowed down my growth recently.
Of course, it’s probably just a temporary thing, but I resolved to work harder on exercises to stimulate my growth plates.
I wouldn’t resort to modern scientific tricks like expected height tests.
Just like you can’t change your fate by asking the three goddesses of destiny, I’ll do my best within my limits.
“Don’t worry too much; if you gained it recently, losing it will be easy. Let’s go!”
“Ugh… Let’s go…”
Thus, we planned a workout schedule with Cheon Saetbyeol.
On Monday and Tuesday evenings, we would lightly run at Han River Park.
On the first day, she was highly motivated and made it through without issue.
But from the very next day, she started groaning that her feet hurt and her legs were numb.
She wiped the beads of sweat off her forehead and fanned her T-shirt.
“Unni, should we eat ice cream from the convenience store?”
“Sure, but let’s run 3 more kilometers first.”
“No, I think I grossly miscalculated. I just want to go home and rest.”
Since she was tired of running, we decided to switch to swimming.
Luckily, there’s a swimming pool in the apartment complex.
Saetbyeol was humming a tune and ordered a swimsuit the night before.
“Oh, this is pretty. How about this sexy strap bikini?”
“Are we going to the sea? Just pick a normal half-body swimsuit.”
“Hehe, why? Are you jealous because you don’t have a bust like mine?”
Saetbyeol curled her arms around her chest, smiling like a victorious champion.
The game character didn’t look that well-endowed…
After gaining an ideal body in Dragonia Nascentia, she was totally riding high.
I felt no need to retort, so I just ignored her.
“I want to go to the sea, the sea.”
“Wanna go this summer vacation?”
“Where?”
“I’m going to France for a tournament in July/August. Apparently, Nice beach in the south of France is beautiful.”
“Whoa, that sounds great! Isn’t that the Mediterranean? Oh wow, I definitely want to go. Take me with you.”
Actually, I was already planning to take her along.
The swimming pool opened for night swim, so we set off around 9 PM.
[Parthenon Apartment Complex Phase 1 Swimming Pool]
I changed into the blue swimsuit that had been delivered that day in the locker room.
The snug material stuck to my skin, but it didn’t feel uncomfortable.
“Phew.”
Saetbyeol’s laughter erupted unexpectedly.
“What’s up?”
“Nothing, hehe, you look cute. But can I be honest? Don’t hit me, hehe.”
“What is it?”
“Unni, you look just like the foam roller we have at home! Hahahaha! Oh my belly…!”
She knelt down, slapping the chair with her hands, laughing like the world was ending.
“A foam roller isn’t a living thing!”
Saetbyeol really went too far…
She was laughing so hard that it seemed like tears were about to come out of her eyes.
I decided to take this opportunity to engrain exactly how tough swimming is into her body.
I twisted my hair up and stuffed it all under a swimming cap.
In the pool, some older ladies were taking turns using a single lane.
Saetbyeol just dipped her big toe in the water.
“Ah, it’s cold. Unni, can you dive?”
“Of course! Who can’t do that?”
“Oh, show me!”
“Go get in first.”
“Wait, hold on!”
At that moment, I gave her butt a playful kick, sending her splashing into the water.
Splash-
The surface jumped up from where she hit it, splattering water across the next lane.
As an older lady resting and chatting turned around, I pretended not to notice and slowly descended the ladder.
“Hey, miss! You can’t dive here like that. It even says that on the warning sign.”
“Huh cough cough… Me?”
“Yeah, who else but you just dove in?”
“Sorry! I’ll be careful from now on.”
Saetbyeol waded over, an innocent look in her eyes.
“Geez, it’s all because of you that I got scolded!”
“Alright, hold onto the kickboard and do 20 round trips. I’ll help you with your form.”
“20 round trips? Isn’t that like 1 km?”
“30 minutes will be more than enough.”
I managed to coax a pouty Saetbyeol into starting the workout.
“Stretch your legs more when you go up! Keep them straight! When you go down, feel like you’re pressing the water with your thighs.”
“Phew. My legs already feel like they’re cramping!”
“Don’t lift your head; keep it pressed down. You’re bending your knees too much! You’re not going straight ahead.”
“Whaaa… It’s so hard! The foam roller is talking!”
*
“I’m never swimming again…”
In the end, Saetbyeol chose to quit swimming, something she loved, in just three days.
Who knew our nation’s examinees could be this weak?
It’s scientifically and philosophically proven that a healthy body houses a healthy spirit.
Whenever Saetbyeol complained of muscle pain at night, I let my aura seep out, restoring her muscle fatigue to normal.
On a lovely Saturday, Saetbyeol was sleeping soundly till noon without a care in the world.
“Na-me, how about we hike Cheonggye Mountain today?”
Professor Cheon said while beautifully peeling an apple.
These days, since we were working out together every day, he seemed eager to join in.
“Sure! Should we bring Saetbyeol?”
“Is she still sleeping? Time to wake her up.”
I carefully opened Saetbyeol’s room door and woke her up.
“Hey, wake up! Let’s go hiking.”
“Ugh, why hiking so early in the morning…”
“It’s lunchtime, genius. You’re not awake yet?”
I grabbed her hand and pulled her up gently.
She looked dazed, as if her head was spinning like a top.
She seemed drained after a few days of hard work; Cheon Saetbyeol looked pale.
As her double eyelids trembled and her eyelashes slowly fluttered, she opened her eyes.
If only she would calm down, she’d be such a pretty girl.
Saetbyeol skipped washing up and got into the car in a shabby tracksuit.
She woke up from her long spring nap just as we arrived at the entrance of Cheonggye Mountain.
Pink azaleas bloomed vibrantly among the green trees.
“The scenery is so beautiful.”
“Sure is.”
Saetbyeol puffed her cheeks and made a pouty face.
She’s not a child who would just follow along because an adult said to.
I picked a fallen petal from the ground.
Then I held the petal up to my face, quoting what Professor Cheon told me during my entrance ceremony at Sephiron Academy.
“So, what, now no one can tell who the flower is?”
“… Hahaha! That line’s so lame!”
Failing to suppress her laughter, Cheon Saetbyeol turned the teasing onto me.
Professor Cheon beside us cleared his throat awkwardly.
At first, we talked a lot, but as we got further up the mountain, we focused on climbing.
With each heavy breath, we paused to hydrate.
Just before reaching the summit, Saetbyeol flopped down on a rock.
“Huff… Haa… This is so hard. Huff I can’t go on. I can’t move even a step.”
“We’re almost there; don’t moan.”
“Your dad and Na-me Unni are climbing too fast…! We’ve already passed several groups! Give me that water.”
Saetbyeol opened the tumbler lid and dumped water over her head.
Then she shook her head like a puppy, sending droplets flying everywhere.
Striking a thinking pose, she stood still for a moment.
“I’ll climb steadily and wait for Dad at the top.”
Saetbyeol silently gave me a thumbs up.
*
It wasn’t that Saetbyeol had poor stamina; it was that Na-me and Professor Cheon were abnormally fit.
Even if a beginner walked the route, they naturally struggled to keep up with those running the trail.
When out of breath, you inevitably feel a headache too.
Saetbyeol rested on a rock, calming her pounding heart and throbbing head.
Na-me’s family started appearing as the hikers we had passed began to trickle in.
Among them were some family members who recognized Na-me as they passed by.
“Hey, hurry up! If you keep this up, you’ll arrive before us!”
A young man, possibly a college student, urged the siblings creeping up the mountain.
He, too, had been brought along by his father’s insistence, but he didn’t expect to see the elusive NoName.
Frustrated, he decided to expedite his own climb.
If his memory served him right, they were close to the summit.
But at mid-rock, he spotted a woman sitting, her head bowed.
Noticing the presence, Saetbyeol slowly looked up.
Her damp black bobbed hair and fatigued eyes stared straight at the man.
Her flushed cheeks and sharp nose were strikingly beautiful.
‘Wow, she’s incredibly beautiful…’
The young man thought to himself.
With a blend of Eastern and Western beauty, he was captivated.
“Excuse me, do you have any water?”
With fluent Korean, Saetbyeol spoke.
“Oh, yes! I have some cool barley tea at home… Do you want me to bring it all out?”
“Ha, I don’t need it all, just a sip, please.”
Flustered, the young man stumbled over his words.
Holding the water bottle high, Saetbyeol avoided letting it touch her lips.
Water droplets trickled down her slender neck.
The young man gulped, unable to take his eyes off her.
“Ah, thank you, that was good.”
“Um, I hope this isn’t too forward, but are you related to the NoName who just went up there?”
At his cautious question, Saetbyeol smiled brightly in reply.
“I’m her sister.”
*
Approximately a week after the filming day, on Saturday at 2 PM, NV’s new music video ‘Hostage’ was released.
[NV, new song ‘Hostage’ MV released… Intense action scenes + cinematic visuals trending | 2053.04.12]
Unlike the rather lukewarm teaser release, the music video created a huge buzz among the public.
[NoName, cameo appearance in NV’s new song MV]
The album’s success was heavily determined by initial sales.
Blue Sun Entertainment actively utilized all SNS and platforms to promote the new song.
(@envy_official) [Likes: 856,087]
(Group photo in front of the set.jpg)
#Hostage with #NoNaMe_11
#White #Rani #Yuju #White #NoName
[Comments]
– So pretty ㅠㅠㅠ
– Unni, I got diagnosed with my personal color, and it’s Green Light!
– Wow, NV made it big; even met NoName!
– Aww, Na-me… How can you be so cute among all these beautiful unnis?
– Envy & NoName ♥♥♥♥♥
– How on earth did you recruit NoName?
└ I know rightㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└ And she just returned to Korea less than a week agoㅋㅋㅋ
– They revamped the MV in that short time? Condolences to all staff…
└ Money can conquer anything after all.
Na-me’s stunning action scenes quickly became the topic of discussion.
Producers from the entertainment sector scrambled to recruit NV to hear behind-the-scenes stories about Na-me’s filming.
In the comments section of the MV, debates erupted over whether Na-me’s action was reality, virtual reality, or CGI.
[NoName Fan Cafe]
[Free Board]
[Let’s listen to NV’s trending new song]
[Reasons NoName must do a music video reaction today]
[I can’t believe they shot that for real]
[2:45 PM… 15 minutes until live broadcast]
[NoName teacher’s crazy cute moment]
[NoName’s Broadcasting Station]
[
: Today’s broadcast will be about 1 hour late.]
– Ahhhhh!
– Mom, I’m so cold…
– Please don’t take a break!
– 4 o’clock becomes 5, and 5 becomes 6…
– Take your time!
– Damn it! I waited trusting you…!
– If you keep whining, she’ll go missing indefinitelyㅠㅠ
[NoName Minor Gallery]
[Breaking News) Broadcast an hour late][14]
[Reasons for NoName’s delays today][35]
[NoName should do a 24-hour broadcast as a form of reflection!][4]
[Is she going to ‘silence’ herself over this…?][3]
[Reasons for NoName’s Delay Today][35]
Just met NoName-sensei’s family while descending Cheonggye Mountain.
They likely got delayed either on the way down or because they were home washing up.
Na-me, her father, and Unni were climbing together at a professional mountain-climbing speed.
I can’t share intricate details, but seriously, all three looked like celebrities.
I can’t even express how cute NoName-sensei is—the cutest in this world, period.
A bit apologetically, I must say she’s quite shortㅋㅋㅋ
And her dad’s physical strength is unreal. I’m 180 cm, and he’s taller than me! ㄷㄷ
And an opportunity arose to see the elusive NoName-sensei’s sister in person…
Wowㅋㅋㅋ I was speechless seeing her face.
Is this really a face that exists in this world?ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Her skin was so pale and unrealistically beautiful, I joked, “I would serve everything to you!” while asking for water.
From now on, I’m going to praise NoName-sensei’s sister.
[Comments]
– Wow, you saw NoName at Cheonggye Mountain?
– Ugh, I just went to Cheonggye Mountain yesterday; I should’ve gone a day laterㅅㅂ
– Can you drop any hints about what actress she resembles?
└ (Author): Her mask is so unique that there’s really no comparison.
– I’m super curiousㅋㅋㅋ Everyone who met her is raving about her.
└ (Author): She looked like she stepped out of an anime. Oh, thinking back, she’s kind of similar to Adella.
└ Is Adella really that pretty?ㅋㅋㅋㅋ?
└ (Author): No, no, she’s stunning. But the vibe is totally different; she seemed very demure and graceful.
└ Demure Adellaㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
– You think you’ve used up all your luck in your lifetime?
└ That sounds like a curse.
└ It is indeed a curse. How dare you so casually welcome NoName!