一层一层剥掉你的衣服

“What are you up to?” I asked her.

Jihyun looked at me with a smile.

“Let’s just say I’m managing my pond. Now that the audition is coming up, I have to focus.”

“Oh.”

I smiled. It seems that the rumors were true.

“So how many are in this… pond?”

I asked, because I was so curious.

“Hmm… maybe around twenty or so? Ten of them are definitely the type to come running if I text them.”

Jihyun said those words so casually.

“You’re quite popular.”

“Yeah. These are all the stuff my exes bought me,” Jihyun said as she showed me her accessories. A luxury watch and an expensive necklace. Even her sneakers were painstakingly handmade by an Italian craftsman.

Of course, none of these shows up in the broadcast. That was because this girl understands what the public wants. And because she knows, she shows herself as an innocent, modest, and impeccable woman. I can see how she got into university—she was clever and good at controlling her image.

“You seem to be having fun with these guys.”

“I date them when I need them and trash them when I don’t.”

“Oh?”

As a man myself, I must say that sounded rather arrogant.

“Why? Do you want me to set you up? A rich guy? Or do you want me to hook you up with someone hot?”

“No, that’s okay.”

Again, I am a man myself. If a guy tried to kiss me, I’d probably claw his face out.

“Why not? You don’t think you’re pretty enough? I think you are.”

“Are you making fun of me?” I chuckled.

She just had to make fun of me. How could I look good with this fat body?

“No, I’m serious. Guys really like a hefty body like yours. I’m telling you, you’d be a hit with the guys.”

“I guess you can say whatever you want about my body since it’s not yours,” I said as I tied my hair. I’m a man, and every time I see the body I’m in, I want to throw up. What does this girl know?

“But I’m not… Oh well, if you don’t want me to…”

Jihyun went back to her phone. Suddenly, Jia sat next to her.

“Jihyun! Are there any cute guys?”

“How about Chun-ah Lee?”

“Chun-ah Lee? The leader of Heaven and Earth?”

“Yep.”

“Isn’t he a total pervert? Everyone’s talking about it. He likes to sleep around and go to hostess bars. Did… Did you date him, too?” Jia asked in disgust.

“No. It’s just that he keeps calling me. What about you, Sian? You want me to hook you up?” Jihyun said, turning to me.

“Okay. Sure.”

I had no reason for giving her my consent. All the stress I’ve been having just made me want to punch someone. A guy like him will surely try to put his hands on me, and when he does, I can beat him to a pulp. I already felt refreshed at the thought.

“Then I’ll give Chun-ah your number. When he calls, just do your best.”

“I doubt he’d call right away,” I said.

The entire country knew I was a fat pig. Why would he call me? But I knew once I lost the weight, he’d call. Once he did, I’d have my chance to punch the daylights out of him.

***

Cock-a-doodle-doo~ Cock-a-doodle-doo~

The morning sun shined brightly. I opened my eyes and went to the bathroom. Going number two wasn’t weird as it was the same for both genders, but number one was a different story.

Where does it come from?

Anyways, after finishing my business, I stepped on the scale.

6/20(Tuesday)

07:10

76.1kg

“Wow.”

I lost a considerable amount of weight. If I continued at this rate, I’d be 60 kg by the next mission. No, wait… I might be able to lose more now that I have more stamina. As my body returns to normal, my energy and circulation got better. As my blood began to flow more freely, my body was getting healthier.

Rumble…

But I’m so hungry.

“How about another tomato?”

I left the room and headed toward the living room. Both Jumi and Hainan were already there, stretching.

“Hey, Sian! You’re up already?” Jumi asked as she waved.

I waved back.

“Jumi. Why did you wake up so early?”

“I’m going to the studio. To practice.”

Jumi spoke with a smile.

“Me, too,” Hainan added.

“You guys are working hard.”

I said those words as I nodded. Jumi had always been hard-working, but I had no idea Hainan was the same—pretty and hard-working. If Hainan were to become a member of Lovely Girl, she’d be in charge of keeping everyone on the right path.

“Come with us, Sian!”

“I haven’t even taken a shower yet.”

I’ve only gone to the bathroom and weighed myself. Yet Jumi and Hainan were all made up and ready to go. Then again, since the VJs will be following us starting at 10, it’d make sense to put makeup on. But do I have to put it, too? The thing I hate the most since becoming a girl is makeup. It takes too long. And the skills they use in this generation can completely change your face to the point of not being human.

“Who cares? You look fine.”

Hainan spoke as she linked arms with me.

“Yeah, well, thanks… even if you don’t mean it.”

“Huh, but I do mean it…”

“Yeah, yeah,” I said as I gave the girl a pat on her head.

I have a special place in my heart for Hainan. Wasn’t she the one who cried for me after reading my hate comments? If I cried with her, I’m sure we would’ve been quite the picture… but as a man, it makes more to make me cry. Well, anyways, since she had been nothing but sincere to me, I truly do like her. Of course, not as a woman, but as a little sister.

“So Sian, are you not going?”

“Yeah. I think I’ll jog some more around the neighborhood and take a shower. Then I’ll go.”

If I were to run on an empty stomach, I’d lose twice the weight. Isn’t that why I came out early… well, after I eat a tomato. If my blood sugar gets too low, I’ll pass out.

“Okay. Then we’ll leave first. When you arrive at the company, let’s have a meal.”

“Okay.”

The conversation ended that way and Jumi and Hainan headed to the company studio. And I went outside.

“Should I do some kicks?”

I kicked my feet as high as I could. Nowadays, my legs go higher than a middle kick, though not as much as high kick. And all the fat I had made it difficult.

“If I lose a little more weight, I’d be able to do a tornado kick.”

I still haven’t decided what I’m going to do for the rival mission. At the very least, I know I will definitely not sing. Singing isn’t really my thing, and I didn’t like doing it, either. I was thinking of combining dance with martial arts or showing some fencing skills… but for now, the most important thing is to see how much weight I can lose and how much muscle I can gain.

“Let’s run.”

I began to run around my neighborhood. The goal was twenty laps. I was able to pull it off thanks to my body being more lightweight and having a stronger endurance.

After jogging, it was kicks. I alternated with low kicks, mid-kicks, and high kicks, doing at least a thousand on each leg. After which, I proceeded with fall technique training. I once almost broke my neck while tumbling because my head fell first as my body was so heavy. Another time, I did a hand spring, but instead of landing on my feet like I was supposed to, I fell on my butt and almost broke my tailbone.

Anyways, doing fall technique training after a while made my body bruise all over.

“Wow! That’s refreshing!”

Still, doing this type of training after a long time does feel good. Shall I say… it feels like I’m getting more powerful? I wish someone would come and have a go with me. Jun-jin? Yeah. It’d be great if he could come right now and mock me. But speak of the devil. I saw Jun-jin swagger over to me. Was it 10 already? As soon as he saw me, he smiled like a lost puppy who found his owner and ran over to me.

“Sian! How have you been?”

“It hasn’t been that long. How are you, Jun-jin?”

“Me? Well, you know… same old, same old…”

He answered gloomily. Then as he looked at me, a look of surprise came over him.

“Sian…”

What?”

“How’d you lose so much weight?”

“Is it obvious?”

“Yeah, it really shows!”

“Huh!”

I was pleased with Jun-jin’s mixed reaction. Considering I just burned my thigh muscles for the past three hours, I wonder how much I’ve lost from 76.1 kg?

“Didn’t you already lose some weight yesterday? How much weight did you lose today?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t weighed myself yet.”

I feel like I’ve lost at least 5kg since yesterday. I’ve only eaten vegetables since yesterday morning. And last night, I ran like a madman. And didn’t I just exercise for another three hours this morning? I probably lost more than 5kg. Well, now that I’ve lost a considerable amount, it’s starting to show. Even Jun-jin, who never notices anything, was able to notice right away.