Chapter 56 – The Youngest Daughter of the Count’s Family (19)
“Moon-soo, you became a swimmer?”
“It just kinda happened…”
After getting fired from the convenience store job that had been supporting me, there wasn’t anything else I could do because of my aptitude.
Shaman.
With such a bad reputation and perception, who would hire me?
I get it, though.
From a restaurant owner’s perspective, a chef is far more appealing than a young guy whose aptitude is shaman. Same for any other workplace.
“If you beat me but lose to someone else, it’ll hurt my pride. So make sure you win the P-medal at the Olympics.”
“You say P-medal so casually!”
P-medal.
Ever since the P aptitude tester appeared, the Olympics had transformed into a war of superhumans overflowing with talent.
And with that came curiosity.
Who was the greatest athletic genius in the world?
“It’s not hard. Just win the most medals at the Olympics.”
“Easy for you to say!”
The P-medal was the prestigious medal awarded to the athlete who won the most medals in that year’s Olympics!
But since winning medals in events outside your aptitude was impossible, national-level tricks were required.
How?
By sticking a foot into team sports like soccer, basketball, or baseball and just pretending to participate.
“Moon-soo. If you win the P-medal, I’ll marry you. Doesn’t that sound tempting?”
“Uh, sure.”
The offer held no dreams or hope, so I felt zero motivation.
“…Hey.”
“What?”
“Your reaction’s so lukewarm. You didn’t get a girlfriend, did you?”
“No.”
“…You’re a terrible liar; it shows all over your face. Spill it right now.”
“I’m telling you, there’s no one.”
I almost cried from how pathetic I sounded saying that.
“Fine. I’ll believe you.”
“Hey, Song Sun-young. What does it matter to you who I date?”
“I told you—if you win the P-medal, I’ll marry you.”
“That’s not even—”
I gave up on having a logical conversation with this willful girl my age.
“Not curious?”
“About what?”
“You told me to become a model. If you’re gonna say it, take responsibility.”
“Uh…”
Suddenly she’s attacking with logic.
“Not curious?”
“…I’m really curious. Is swimsuit modeling doable?”
“It’s okay if you ignore the annoying people. I even got a fan café recently.”
“Whoa! Congrats.”
Song Sun-young said she liked it because the work was easy, but that’s only because she’s confident in the looks that are a model’s lifeline.
People whose aptitude is model?
It’s said the P aptitude test values “body proportions” and “mental fortitude” more than subjective aesthetics.
In other words, Song Sun-young, who also has the looks, is highly competitive.
Whereas I…
“I heard the coach got fired?”
“How’d you know?”
“It was on the news. And after seeing it, my mom got greedy for the vacant coaching spot. She said it’s convenient since the school’s close by.”
“She’s not a coach, though.”
Song Sun-young’s mother’s aptitude is swimmer. Even with a national team record, wouldn’t it be tough?
“You’re not an athlete either.”
“That’s… true.”
“You still don’t know this industry’s ecosystem. Aptitude is faith and religion. The P-medal, given to athletes who transcend their aptitude, has become a battle of tricks.”
“Then what about me?”
“That’s why a non-standard coach got attached to you, right?”
“…”
I was speechless.
“Actually, at that point, Mom didn’t know the fired coach had been handling an athlete whose aptitude wasn’t swimmer.”
“She must’ve been disappointed.”
“No, she was thrilled?”
“Huh?”
“Mom was overjoyed that no other coach wanted this athlete, so it’d be easy for her to get hired.”
“I see!”
A perfect answer reflecting a reality full of discrimination and prejudice.
Ding-dong♪
“Ah! Looks like she’s here.”
Song Sun-young, who had been lounging comfortably on the sofa while we talked.
The moment she heard the room doorbell, she sprang up nimbly and headed for the door.
“Wait! This isn’t your hotel room! Who’s coming?”
“Your new coach.”
“How do you, a non-athlete, know that— Hello?”
Click.
Song Sun-young ignored my question and flung the door wide open.
“Excuse me.”
The new coach entered the room with a calm greeting.
She wore a white cap, sunglasses, a cardigan that let her bikini swimsuit peek through, and hot pants that highlighted her long, toned legs.
‘Is she really a coach…?’
She gave off the vibe of a tourist on her honeymoon with her husband.
A bit taken aback, but I couldn’t just stand there silently after being greeted.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Kang Moon-soo.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Kang Moon-soo. I’ve heard nothing but praise about you until my ears wore out.”
“From the previous coach…?”
“No, from my daughter. The whole way here, nonstop.”
Schwick—
When she removed her sunglasses, my eyes went wide.
‘Song Sun-young…?’
Aside from slightly softer eyes and faint crow’s feet, she could pass for her older sister!
I immediately understood why.
“Mom! What’s with that outfit?! It’s way too revealing!”
“I hated the conservative coaches back when I was an athlete. To bond quickly with the player…”
“Wear that in front of Dad!”
“I don’t need to get close to that nagging old man.”
“Change right now!”
“Sun-young, don’t interfere with Mom’s first day at work. Could you leave us now?”
“Ugh, seriously…!”
The mother-daughter bickering the moment they met left my head spinning.
Above all,
‘The new coach is Song Sun-young’s mother…?’
She’d hinted at it, but I never imagined zero “normal” coaches would take me on.
…Is this really okay?
After compromising by throwing on the hotel bathrobe, the coach extended her hand for a shake.
“Kang Moon-soo, I look forward to working with you.”
“You can speak casually. I’d feel more comfortable…”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Thanks! I hate stiff relationships. Let’s do great!”
“Yes, Coach.”
“Oh my! Moon-soo, call me casually too. Auntie instead of Coach… Ah! You can even call me Mother-in-law.”
“Mom…!”
My once-peaceful athlete life was about to face a massive upheaval.
***
I’m an athlete who posted meaningful results in practice meets—enough to aim for Olympic medals.
Especially in endurance; in the 4000 m freestyle, people say just showing up guarantees a medal. I’m that good.
The untested 10 km marathon swim also looks extremely promising.
Yet,
(Athlete Kang Moon-soo. Regrettably, all existing coaches have already been assigned and cannot take you on. Please understand if there was any misunderstanding or offense.)
“Yes.”
The university also contacted me after hearing I’d awakened.
(The newly assigned full-time coach, Jang Seo-yeon, is not a coach by trade but has national team experience. Since you aim for the national team as well, this will be of considerable help.)
“Yes.”
(Athlete Kang Moon-soo?)
“Yes.”
(Are you listening properly?)
“Yes.”
I understood perfectly, so please stop.
(…If you have any complaints, please consider your health. No matter how good your results, frequent fainting and gaps in training are fatal for an athlete. Pay more attention to your health.)
“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”
‘It’s not a health issue…’
Explaining that I’d entered someone else’s dream would only deepen the “shaman” prejudice!
So I kept quiet.
(We feel bad for pushing an athlete whose aptitude didn’t match to begin with…)
“It’s fine.”
(There was a slight delay due to an unfortunate incident; the detailed schedule will be passed to Coach Jang Seo-yeon.)
“Yes.”
Coach Jang Seo-yeon.
The mother of my ex-girlfriend!
She said she prefers a relaxed coach-athlete relationship, but I feel chronic indigestion coming on.
Click.
After ending the tedious call, I prepared to head out.
‘Let’s go.’
To the room where Kim Eun-jung, the patient possessed by the protagonist of the romance fantasy novel <I Became the Youngest Daughter of a Count’s Family>, was staying.
***
“I’m really sorry. I should have come right away to thank you…”
“I’m fine. How is Kim Eun-jung?”
“My daughter… sob!”
Kim Eun-jung’s mother suddenly burst into tears, her words trailing off.
‘Doesn’t look like tears of joy…’
She’s awake, but her condition doesn’t seem great.
In the hotel room was also a middle-aged man I assumed was her father, consulting seriously with Section Chief Seo Hye-joo.
Since the patient is awake, my role is technically over.
Still,
“If she’s not asleep, may I see Kim Eun-jung?”
“That’s fine, but… she’s very on edge…”
“No problem.”
As long as she doesn’t chop off my limbs in a bad mood, anything goes.
Slide—
I opened the sliding door to the large bedroom with the couple’s bed.
‘Whoa!’
Torn scraps of paper smaller than fingernails were scattered all around the bed.
“Hello?”
“…”
Riiip—
Kim Eun-jung sat on the bed, slowly tearing page after page from the novel <I Became the Youngest Daughter of a Count’s Family> and shredding them.
A stark contrast to how she once hugged it like a treasure.
Flinch.
Her unfocused eyes reacted to my voice.
“Kim Eun-jung. I’m glad you woke up safely.”
“…Why are you here? To mock me for being lost in delusion for a whole year?”
“Of course not.”
I placed the book I’d brought on the small chair by the vanity.
“What’s that?”
“A gift. Volume 5, the finale you couldn’t read because the author went on hiatus for over two years.”
“…Who does the protagonist marry in the end?”
“It’s an open ending.”
Unable to resolve the tangled relationships where she couldn’t choose just one man, it was left to the reader’s imagination.
“That’s a little comforting. Knowing the original protagonist’s future isn’t so different from mine.”
“No helping it.”
A development where she marries all the men?
Impossible.
Why?
For the noble family’s bloodline to continue, the protagonist must give birth to an heir.
Even if she has one child per man, that’s at least 20 years.
There’s no guarantee of immediate pregnancy, and factoring in postpartum recovery, it’d take far longer…
‘Insane.’
The husbands waiting their turn to avoid mixing seed, the protagonist giving birth until menopause…
Everyone’s unhappy.
“I wanted to become pretty like the novel’s protagonist.”
“So men would like you?”
“Yes.”
I won’t deny it.
The instinct to pass down genes for pretty, handsome looks advantageous in society.
A natural phenomenon ordinary humans can’t resist.
However,
“No matter how pretty, men don’t like women surrounded by guys.”
“But if you’re not pretty, you get zero men?”
“Enough with the sophistry. Aren’t the men you rejected still men?”
“Mom…”
Unable to retort, Kim Eun-jung glared at her mother, who’d spilled her past.
“I was bragging about how popular my daughter was… You always kicked them to the curb. Too short. Thinning hair. Beer belly. Tiny eyes. It’s true, isn’t it?”
“Ugh!”
A mother who seems timid but says everything to her daughter!
Ding-dong♪
Just then, as if to save Kim Eun-jung from the corner, the room doorbell rang.
“Oh my! That was fast.”
Her mother hurried to the front door like welcoming a cherished guest.
Who could it be?
Slide—
The sliding door to the large bedroom opened, and a neatly dressed man in his twenties entered carrying a bouquet and a fruit basket.
“Eun-jung, how’s your bo—huh?”
“Hello.”
The man, eyes meeting mine—the prior visitor—visibly panicked.
“Uh… s-sorry. I didn’t know you had a boyfriend. I’m really glad you woke up. I’ll just…”
“Wait!”
Whoosh!
The patient urgently sat up and shouted.
“Sorry for coming without notice—”
“This man’s a nurse the doctor brought! And you know I have high standards for guys?”
“I know very well.”
“Does this sleazy-looking guy seem like my type?”
“No.”
Suddenly personally attacked, I couldn’t hide my bewilderment.
“Did you fly here?”
“Yeah. Couldn’t get a same-day ticket, so it took a while.”
“To see me?”
“Of course.”
“…I must be crazy. You suddenly look handsome.”
“R-really?”
Admitting her own madness, the patient turned to me.
“Nurse ajusshi. If you have nothing to say, please leave.”
“Ah, yes.”
I quietly exited without disrupting the real-life romance.
‘At this level…’
It seems like a pretty decent happy ending.