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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Fitness Test Rivalry
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Because the acting test had been announced, class was unusually quiet today.
Unlike a musical class, the room was filled with the soft scratching of pencils and pens.
Han Hyo-jin had declared today's lesson independent study, telling students to come to her quietly only if they had personal questions, which made it even quieter.
The students sat in their seats, some reviewing footage for their ongoing assessment assignments, others hunting down and analyzing scenes they'd chosen themselves.
"What are you scribbling so much about?"
Having been properly scolded by Han Hyo-jin, Woo-sik's voice carried an uncharacteristic gloom.
"It's the time we've been given to interpret the scenes. You should get on it too. Don't put it off till later."
"Everyone's picking on me no matter where I go... Life is so cruel."
Seeing Woo-sik dig back into his sulk mode made me sigh involuntarily.
Only uncles look after their nephews, right?
I tossed him a piece of chocolate and went back to what I was doing.
I was in the middle of interpreting the 'Divine Power' scene I'd just selected.
I laid out the standard, conventional interpretation alongside the direction I was thinking of taking it.
Moon Woo-hyuk would probably go with the conventional take, influenced by his father Moon Kang-hyun.
He always leaned that way.
It was sure to be the case with this 'Divine Power' acting too.
On top of that, since Moon Woo-hyuk's father Moon Kang-hyun had played the lead in 'Divine Power,' he wouldn't come up with anything unconventional.
'Divine Power' depicts the conflict between the protagonist 'Woo-dam,' who holds to his beliefs, performs a funeral for his brother unjustly killed by the state, and prepares to die himself,
and 'Joon-sik,' who tries to save Woo-dam's one remaining son, persuading and sometimes threatening him.
Since Moon Woo-hyuk had stepped up first to play the son Woo-dam, it actually worked out well.
Being on my second go-round at life, I had the experience of living to an age where I could understand a father's feelings, to some extent.
I lost myself in thought, plugging that perspective—"What would my own father have done?"—into various scenes.
***
From afar, Moon Woo-hyuk watched Do-hyun intently focused on analyzing the script, his eyes gleaming sharply.
Song Ha-na shook her head at the sight.
As if staring like that would change anything.
As if letting the guy know you had it out for him would make him scared enough to run away.
She didn't know her opponent at all.
That opponent actually seemed to find his murderous glare kind of endearing.
"Moon Woo-hyuk."
"What."
Only then did he turn to Song Ha-na, but his eyes were still fierce.
Clueless that it was just wearing himself out.
"Why don't you study your scene or something?"
"I've seen that scene hundreds of times already. The outcome's obvious."
It was one of the countless performances his father Moon Kang-hyun had forced him to watch.
He'd gone to every single showing of the season where Moon Kang-hyun played Woo-dam.
Even now, closing his eyes brought every scene vividly to mind.
"If you're so confident, then why are you glaring at Lee Do-hyun like your eyes are gonna fall out?"
"What?"
Song Ha-na stopped there and turned away.
Having stoked Moon Woo-hyuk's temper to the max, she ignored him and dove into her scene study.
Irritation surged through Moon Woo-hyuk.
He had a strange feeling that Song Ha-na's attitude toward Do-hyun had subtly shifted.
***
After lunch, the students in gym clothes gathered on the field for afternoon PE.
The gym teacher stood imposingly before the students, who stared ahead with soulless, utterly fed-up expressions.
"Today, straight to the point—the most important thing at Cheongyeom Arts High School!"
Wonder what the principal and chairman would think hearing that.
"We're doing the physical fitness test!"
The kids let out a collective groan at his words.
He might be wrong about it being the most important thing at Cheongyeom Arts High, but fitness was crucial, no doubt.
Musical actors were performers who used their bodies, after all—stamina was lifeblood to them.
Even the fanciest supercar with the best engine wouldn't roll without fuel.
Besides, unlike the others, I had good reason to give it my all.
Huh Ji-woong had said he might waive today's core training depending on my fitness test scores.
"First event: sit-ups! Give it your all and rise up!"
The kids gave a half-hearted "Yeees" in stark contrast to the pumped-up gym teacher's energy.
"Why so lifeless? Louder!"
"Yeees!"
"Good. Pair up two boys and two girls per mat and lie down."
The students found their partners and lay side by side on the mats.
My partner was Kang-uk.
Moon Woo-hyuk was with Kyung-in, Woo-sik with Kim Sun-woo.
Somehow, Lee Cheong-ha and Song Ha-na ended up together.
"Take care of me, Kang-uk. Hold tight."
"Ready!"
We got into position as the gym teacher put the whistle to his lips.
"Go!"
At the start signal, I summoned every ounce of strength and cranked out sit-ups at breakneck speed.
Kang-uk's legs bucked wildly under the strain, his face turning pale.
Well, not many high schoolers go all-out like their life depends on it for a fitness test.
Next to us, Kim Sun-woo was lying down first with Woo-sik.
Kim Sun-woo was putting in a moderate effort at his own pace, chatting idly with Woo-sik as they took it easy.
"Look at that Lee Do-hyun. Why's he going so hard at something he does every day in the dorm anyway?"
Woo-sik shook his head watching me, and Kim Sun-woo asked curiously.
"He does sit-ups in the dorm too?"
"Hooks his feet under the bed and does 'em daily. Total freak, that guy."
Kim Sun-woo's interest in Do-hyun grew at Woo-sik's words.
Glancing over, Do-hyun was powering through sit-ups at an insane pace.
And as time wore on, his form wasn't breaking—it was getting fiercer.
Meanwhile, tension crackled around Moon Woo-hyuk's group.
"Hold it right."
"Uh, yeah."
Refusing to lose to Do-hyun, Moon Woo-hyuk twisted his head his way, glaring daggers while unleashing furious sit-ups.
Already the biggest guy in class, his menacing reps had his partner Kyung-in on the verge of tears.
How did I end up paired with this guy? Kyung-in scanned around desperately for help, but no one budged.
"Where you looking? Not counting?"
Moon Woo-hyuk didn't love PE, but he figured his natural physique would crush Do-hyun easily.
Tweet.
The whistle blew for one minute up.
Moon Woo-hyuk didn't stop.
'I'm doing more. I'm not tired yet.'
Kyung-in was on the brink of actual tears at the sight.
Meanwhile, Do-hyun calmly finished his set and caught his breath.
"How many?"
"68... You're brutal, man."
Not bad.
I stepped aside after earning Kang-uk's nod of approval.
As I switched places to hold his legs, I spotted Woo-sik slouching down next to us.
"Hey, Sun-woo."
"Yeah?"
Kim Sun-woo turned quizzically, about to grab Woo-sik's legs.
"Mind switching spots with me?"
Woo-sik shook his head no, clutching Kim Sun-woo's sleeve, but Kim Sun-woo lit up and swapped anyway.
He looked thrilled, like he knew it'd be fun.
I quickly took position holding Woo-sik's legs. He lay back staring at the sky with a look of resignation.
"Please... just stop..."
A sob drifted from next door—Kyung-in, who'd been holding for Moon Woo-hyuk.
"Shut up. How many? How many!"
"Over a hundred... please stop..."
At "a hundred," Moon Woo-hyuk finally halted, flashing a smug grin my way like, See that?
What an idiot.
I smiled back like, Yeah, got it, and turned to Woo-sik.
Well now, Min Woo-sik. Avoiding my eyes?
'You smile?'
Meanwhile, thoroughly ignored by Do-hyun, Moon Woo-hyuk fumed harder, glaring over.
"Um... it's my turn now..."
"Do it solo."
"Got it... Thanks."
Leaving Kyung-in behind, Moon Woo-hyuk stormed off to the sink.
The abandoned Kyung-in looked relieved as he lay alone on the mat.
"Target's sixty."
"Uncle, listen. I don't wanna bet my life on sit-ups like you. Sixty would straight-up kill me?"
"You won't die. Lie straight, lock your hands."
"Uncle... are you even listening?"
Tweet.
At the start whistle, I barked at the whining Woo-sik.
"Up! Faster. Yeah, you got it. More! More! That's how you get that core snap for vocal work!"
Under the barrage from above, Woo-sik powered through sit-ups like he'd swallowed mustard, on the verge of tears.
His pace slowed as time ticked by, but no quitting allowed.
He just couldn't fathom why I wouldn't let him quit. Tears welled up.
Please just give up on me already...
Kim Sun-woo chuckled beside him, finding Woo-sik hilarious.
Tweet.
"Whew. Close. A bit more and you could've hit it."
"Not close at all, buddy..."
Woo-sik's dying rasp clocked in at 48.
A personal best for him.
***
Next up: push-ups.
My overall strength was still lacking, so push-ups would be tougher than sit-ups.
Still, I'd been hitting 40 lately, so let's aim for 50.
Anything to skip even one day of core training.
My eyes met Moon Woo-hyuk's as he stared over.
"Do your best."
I meant it sincerely, but he took it wrong.
One eyebrow arched suspiciously.
'Hah.'
In his eyes, it looked like, "Go on, try your best."
Like you can tell me not to and I'll do it anyway. Who're you to order me?
The gym teacher stood in front of Moon Woo-hyuk.
He'd gotten caught ditching Kyung-in earlier and was now paired with the teacher for measurement.
Tweet.
Push-ups began with the whistle.
He blasted through the early reps fast enough, but as expected, they slowed dramatically past 40.
'Sure enough, that's where the burn really kicks in.'
Woo-sik stared at Do-hyun, checking his muscles with grim seriousness one rep at a time, looking utterly done.
Kim Sun-woo, hating to shake or break form, had stopped at 20 and was just watching Do-hyun curiously.
"Deeper! Deeper!!"
A booming voice echoed across the field.
Following it led to Moon Woo-hyuk, athlete-built body struggling under the gym teacher.
"Lower that butt! Chest doesn't touch!"
Moon Woo-hyuk cursed inwardly.
Paired with the teacher, any imperfect form meant no passing go.
This would mean fewer reps than Do-hyun—and he couldn't have that.
Arms trembling, he pushed, but strength faded fast.
Then he spotted Kyung-in idly watching from afar.
Seeing Kyung-in slyly avert his gaze, flames shot from Moon Woo-hyuk's eyes.
Meanwhile,
"Ugh—!"
Song Ha-na stared down at Lee Cheong-ha, sprawled on the mat at the whistle, in disbelief.
"One..."
Song Ha-na couldn't continue.
But she'd seen it clear as day.
That single push-up Lee Cheong-ha had just barely scraped out had taken everything she had.
"You did... one, right?"
"...Yeah."
"..."
Song Ha-na said it all with her eyes.
Lee Cheong-ha knew exactly what she meant without a word and desperately averted her gaze.
"Next, get ready!"
Song Ha-na wordlessly assumed push-up position—flawless form.
At the tweet, she moved lightly.
Past 30, her pace finally slowed.
Lee Cheong-ha gaped at Song Ha-na's stamina—she'd nearly hit 50 on sit-ups earlier.
'One push-up with Do-hyun watching? Lifetime secret.'
Lee Cheong-ha swallowed hard, resolve firm.
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