A week later, Kai moved into his newly purchased apartment.
Ji-yeong also bought a house, but the renovation would take a long time, so she decided to keep living with Kai until it was ready.
When she returned home that day, she was stunned to see all sorts of fitness equipment scattered around the living room — barbells, treadmills, punching bags, and even hula hoops.
"What is all this?" Ji-yeong asked in confusion.
Kai replied seriously, "I've been thinking. In the Game, my biggest weakness was my lack of stamina and fighting ability. So, I've decided not to do anything else this year except train.
If I can build up my physique, I'll definitely survive next year's Game. I even signed up for a free combat training course yesterday."
Ji-yeong tilted her head. "Why don't you just buy some guns and ammunition?"
Kai sighed. "I've got over nine hundred degrees of myopia. You really want me to practice marksmanship like this? Besides, do you think those Masked Men in the Game would ever give us a chance to grab guns?"
Ji-yeong thought about it and nodded. "Fair point."
She hesitated before asking, "If you win next year's Game again, what will happen to Kang Sae-byeok?"
Kai answered quietly, "Oh Il-nam promised me that as long as I keep winning, they'll continue trying to save Kang Sae-byeok — until she either wakes up… or she's declared completely brain dead."
Ji-yeong's voice softened. "Do you think it's worth it? If you lose, she dies. If you win, the chance of her surviving is still slim."
Kai clenched his fists. "As long as there's even a sliver of hope, I can't give up. I'm not a saint, but I have my own principles.
Kang Sae-byeok ended up like this because of us — so I'm responsible for her, till the very end. Whether she wakes up or passes away."
As he spoke, Kai threw another punch at the sandbag — only for it to rebound and knock him flat onto the floor.
Ji-yeong blinked awkwardly. "I feel like that sandbag's heavier than you."
Grimacing, Kai got up. "You're right. The sandbag's fifty kilos. I only weigh forty-six."
Ji-yeong giggled. "Then you take your time training. I'll make dinner."
Kai blinked. He wasn't used to hearing that. "Wait—you can cook? What can you make? It's not just kimchi, is it?"
Ji-yeong laughed. "Wow, do all people think Koreans only make kimchi? That's a pretty bad stereotype."
Kai scratched his head. "Isn't it true though?"
Ji-yeong rolled her eyes. "Our staple foods are pretty similar to yours — rice, porridge, noodles, dumplings, rice cake soup, sliced noodle soup. And I can make all of those."
"Oh… guess my stereotype's been too deep-rooted," Kai admitted sheepishly.
Ji-yeong crossed her arms. "You've lived here for years. Haven't you ever eaten out?"
Kai replied honestly, "Not really. I'm a total homebody. I used to just sell barbecue downstairs and stay inside the rest of the time."
"No wonder you're so thin and weak!" Ji-yeong scolded. "Frozen food has no nutrition!"
Kai nodded. "You're right. If I want to be ready for next year's Game, I can't keep eating frozen junk."
Ji-yeong's eyes sparkled. "Then how about this? I'll stay here with you — I'll cook and do the housework as rent."
Kai raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you just buy a house? And I can always order takeout."
Ji-yeong replied, "Just because I bought one doesn't mean I have to live there. Besides, as I said, our country's not exactly the safest place. If I, a young woman, live alone, something could happen.
You've seen that movie Door Lock, right? It's about a woman who finds a man secretly living under her bed—drugging her while she sleeps—"
"Alright, stop right there," Kai interrupted.
"If I remember correctly, Door Lock came out in 2018, but there was already a Spanish film in 2011 called Sleep Tight with the exact same plot."
Ji-yeong frowned. "But I'm talking about safety right now, don't change the subject!"
Kai sighed. "Fair point. But honestly, living with me doesn't make you much safer. You've seen my combat skills."
Ji-yeong countered, "Yeah, but other people don't know that. Just knowing a man lives here is enough to scare off most creeps."
Kai shrugged. "Then I'll say it again—I can order takeout."
Ji-yeong shot back, "After our neighbor, the Sakura Nation, dumped nuclear wastewater last year, you still trust takeout here?"
Kai paused. "...You've actually got a good point. Fine, for the sake of eating real food, I'll agree. But let's be clear—we're just roommates. Not a couple. Big difference."
He added seriously, "Also, I have mild mysophobia. So, things like toothbrushes, toothpaste, towels, and slippers—we each use our own. I don't like using things other people have touched. It feels… dirty."
Ji-yeong's expression turned icy. "What did you just say?"
Kai froze, realizing what he'd just implied, and slapped himself twice. "Shit, I didn't mean that, Ji-yeong. That came out wrong. I'm sorry!"
She held back tears and ran into the bathroom, slamming the door shut.
Kai groaned, slapping himself again. "Nice going, idiot. Open mouth, insert foot. Now how the hell do I fix this?"
He stood quietly outside the bathroom door. "Ji-yeong, I'm really sorry. I wasn't thinking. I didn't mean anything bad, I swear. You can use my stuff however you want, okay? Please don't cry…"
Ten minutes later, Ji-yeong finally opened the door. "It's okay. I overreacted. You're right… I should learn to move on from the past. I shouldn't have snapped at you. I'll go make dinner."
Kai exhaled in relief and silently vowed to think before speaking next time.
That evening, he sat at the table, staring at the spread of freshly cooked dishes. His eyes widened in disbelief.
"You made all this?"
Ji-yeong smiled. "Yeah. I was the one who cooked for the other inmates when I was in jail."
Kai took a bite — and for the first time since coming here, he felt warmth in his chest.
"It's been so long… this feels like home again."
He reached out and held her hand. "Thank you, Ji-yeong. And… I'm really sorry about earlier."
Ji-yeong smiled softly. "I already forgot. But if you bring it up again, I'll really get mad."
...
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