I was Thrown into an Unfamiliar Manga

The second day since I started working out with Goto.
Once again, after joining me for early morning jogging, Goto began doing lunges at the public park while giving his thoughts on the first day.

“Yesterday was fun! It’s been a really long time since I pushed my body like that—I was drenched in sweat!”
I was doing sit-ups on the wooden bench beside him and said to Goto,
“Judging by yesterday, your muscle strength seems fine, but your cardio’s lacking. Do you smoke?”

At that, Goto scratched his cheek as if I’d hit a sore spot.
“I got scolded for that by the director yesterday too, so I decided to quit smoking starting today! Back in the day, I could run way longer than that without a problem!”
“Good call. Smoking’s seriously bad for people who exercise.”

Regardless of the past, what matters is changing your habits bit by bit.
If you do that, you can return to a healthy body again.
After finishing 200 reps, I stood up from the bench.

Seeing that, Goto called out in a hurry.
“I’ve only got one set left! Please wait just a bit!”
I let out a wry smile and said,

“No one’s chasing you. Take your time.”
“Yes, sir!”
After just two days of sticking with him, I could already tell—whatever else he might be, he definitely wasn’t just all talk.

***
“Welcome! That Goto kid showed up thirty minutes ago and has already been working out!”
After school. Unlike yesterday, when I met Goto in front of my house since he might get lost, today we decided to meet directly at the gym.

For me, it was faster to come straight from the station than to stop by home anyway.
“Hurry and get changed. I’ll take a look at your workout today too.”
“Okay.”
Just as the director said, I headed into the locker room and quickly changed, grabbed my duffel bag for training, and stepped out.

As I approached the director, Goto was working out hard on the chest press machine.
“Director.”
“Oh, you’re here.”

Even as he spoke, the director didn’t take his eyes off Goto’s movements.
“Goto, when doing anaerobic workouts, controlling your breathing is important. Keep your core tight.”
“Yes, Director!”

It was only the second day, but he was already in full workout mode.
Like a tiger drill instructor, the director stood beside Goto and kept pointing out his flaws.
“Don’t underestimate machine workouts just because they’re machines! Smarter guys than you designed them scientifically!”

“Goto! I told you to breathe properly!”
“Gotooo, it’s the last set! The goal is in sight!”
“Just one more! Let’s do one more and rest!”

“Gotoooo!”
With the constant shouting, my ears felt like they were going to bleed just listening.
I got chewed out like that constantly when I first started too.

Trying to quietly slip away from the unusually enthusiastic director toward the treadmill section, I spotted Fuma-senpai, already running.
“Hello.”
“Oh, hey.”

Honestly, I didn’t expect her to keep coming to the gym this consistently.
At first, I thought she just signed up because I did, but she was working out way more seriously than I’d thought.
Still as mysterious as ever, Fuma-senpai seemed to notice my gaze. She tilted her head while jogging slowly on the treadmill and asked,

“Do you have something to say?”
“No, I was just impressed by how hard you’ve been working.”
“Well, I paid a lot for this. It’d be a waste if I skipped even a day.”

Ah.
Only then did I remember that Fuma-senpai was living alone and working a part-time job at a convenience store to support herself.
If she was already tight on money and still signed up for the gym, of course she’d be serious about using it.

As I ran on the treadmill next to her, I casually asked,
“So, about what you mentioned before—when do you plan to tell me?”
Fuma-senpai glanced around and then lowered her voice.

“I’ve got everything mostly ready. Just tying up some final stuff, so I’ll tell you sometime next week. There’s one item I still haven’t managed to get.”
“…Got it.”
It was about the hidden side of this world.

Since it could be a crucial story for surviving in the world of Scramble Love, I wanted to hear it as soon as possible.
So I could decide how to act going forward.
I didn’t know exactly how, but one thing was certain: the protagonist, Sakamoto Ryuji, had powered up dramatically. That meant the battle elements were about to get even more intense—it was a given.

I had to prepare for that.
Not just for myself—but to protect the people around me.
After finishing a 20-minute warm-up jog and stepping off, I spotted Goto being coached through yet another machine workout by the director. Goto looked over at me with a lewd grin and said,

“Hyung-nim, working out and dating at the same time—truly advanced techniques.”
“It’s not the kind of relationship you’re imagining.”
“Ehh~ but it totally looks like it. Girls usually keep their distance unless they like the guy.”

He kept trying to link «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» me and Fuma-senpai together in a way that was getting on my nerves, so I immediately grabbed a weight plate.
“Workout’s too easy, huh? You’ve got time to joke around?”
“Wha—no sir. I’m already squeezing out the last drops of my strength—aaaagh! Please don’t add more weight!”

Ignoring him, I increased the load and said,
“Goto, did you know?”
“Know what?”

“Muscles only get stronger when they tear first.”
I gave him a look telling him to hurry up and lift, and Goto let out a teary battle cry as he pulled the handle.
“Hrrrrrrgh!”

He was still a beginner, so his working weights were rising quickly.
Watching from the side and helping him grow… maybe that’s why the director and all the other gym veterans couldn’t resist getting obsessed with every new gym newbie.
***

The long-awaited third day since I started training with Goto.
Today was Saturday, which meant there was no school—we would be together all day.
Unlike weekdays, I didn’t have to pack a lunch, so I warmed up lightly in my room with some dumbbell curls, pull-ups, and bench presses before heading out for our morning jog together.

Goto, who had done intense upper-body training the day before, grumbled that every inch of his body was sore.
When I told him today would be a lower-body-focused session, part of a two-day split, he looked like he was ready to die from joy.
“Good morning, Ma’am!”

“Good morning to you too, Goto-kun.”
It was now his fourth day of showing up at our house, and my mom had remembered his name.
Well, I guess the impression he made on the first day was just that strong.

While I ate breakfast, Goto joined me and made a rather unusual request.
“Hyung-nim, if it’s okay… could you pack up the tastiest menu you have? I want to let my mom try it. Of course, I’ll pay.”
I couldn’t help but look at Goto with a new sense of respect.

He hadn’t forgotten what I’d said about being filial to his parents.
“If that’s the reason, just wait a moment. I’ll make it right away.”
I went into the kitchen and, for the first time in a while, put real effort into cooking.

There’s always a difference between making food for yourself and making it for someone else.
I put my heart into it, hoping Goto’s mom would enjoy what I made.
The main dish was crab fried rice. The side dishes were Nanjiwanse, Palbochae, sweet and sour pork, spicy fried chicken, and chili shrimp.

I packed everything into a three-tiered lunchbox—the same one I used when tailing Karen on her date.
When I came out with the neatly packed lunchbox, Goto looked shocked.
“Isn’t this way too much?!”

“I made plenty so you could share with your mom. Eat it together at lunch.”
“Um, the money—”
“It’s not something we sell at the shop. Just take it and eat.”

I said that and patted him on the shoulder.
“Let’s meet again around 2 p.m., all right? You good on time?”
Goto looked at me with an emotional expression, then responded in a loud voice.

“Yes, sir!”
I told him to go on ahead and headed back into the kitchen to clean up the mess I hadn’t had time to address earlier.
Just then, my mom, who was getting things ready for the shop, said,

“He seems like a good-natured kid… so why does he go around looking like a thug?”
I gave an awkward smile and replied,
“These days, that kind of thing is called… personality.”

Honestly, I never imagined I’d be saying that.
Maybe it’s because I’ve been around him long enough that I’ve started to care.
***

That afternoon.
Goto Kazuya was moved by the Chinese-style lunchbox made by his hyung-nim and shared with his mother.
To be honest, he already knew how unreasonable he’d been.

All he knew was how to ride a bike and act tough, and yet he barged in one day saying he wanted to become a real man.
How ridiculous must that have sounded?
But Hyung-nim had accepted him.

And without holding back, had taught him.
What a cool man.
He was sure now—this was the real man he had dreamed of and admired since childhood.

Firmly renewing his respect for his Hyung-nim once again, he was preparing to head out for the afternoon workout when someone knocked on the door.
“Who is it?”
With his mom doing the dishes, Goto Kazuya answered the front door—and froze without meaning to.

“Hyung-nim, Mito turned traitor! Please help us!”
His former underlings, the ones he had left behind for the sake of his dream, were standing in the apartment hallway—bloodied.