Chapter Text
Jay isn’t someone who gets drawn in by sales and promotions. He’s his mother’s child and, in the Park household, he’d been taught from a very young age to be wary of the schemes employed by marketing teams to get him to buy something he doesn’t really want or need.
Buy one get one? Please. The brand’s probably getting rid of the product in question or replacing it with something better. 25% off? Come on. The initial markup is for show—that sale has probably been planned for a while now, if not from the get go, so really? No money saved at all.
Honestly, the only trustworthy thing is in the supermarket and it’s not even a promo or discount to begin with: free taste sections. At the very least, getting to try food before he buys them allows Jay to know whether it’ll be worth his money just because he gets to decide, on his own, if he prefers the taste or not.
But talk about representing the target market to a T…
Slowing down as he passes by an establishment called EN-GYM, Jay can’t help but join the fray in front of a long table, wondering what the fuss is about and over a gym of all places. What in the world could get this many people interested in a gym? Jay’s curious and showing interest is already a big mistake—he should’ve known there won’t be any escape as soon as someone talks to him.
And someone does.
“Hello sir!”
Turning to his left as a man approaches him, Jay takes note of the “sales clerk smile” but is distracted all at once as said man presents him with, of all things, a calendar of the upcoming year.
But it’s not just any calendar.
There’s a good looking guy on the cover, one with really nice arms, doing a cool pose while leaning against a treadmill. Jay blinks, stepping closer.
“Do you have a calendar for next year yet? If you don’t, this one is free when you sign up for a three month membership—discounted!—and features one of our trainers!”
One of their trainers? Jay reaches for the calendar so he can see the, ehem, other pages because this trainer is a sight for sore eyes, but the man holding it pulls the calendar away just before his fingers touch the glossy front page.
“My name’s Boo Seungkwan. What’s your name, sir?”
A little miffed but interested in the calendar—those arms are to die for and he wants a closer look—Jay introduces himself in a moment of weakness. Another mistake, giving his name.
His mother would be so ashamed.
“Park Jay,” he replies, narrowing his eyes at Seungkwan as he gently takes his arm, guiding him to another table, this time off to the side of the main one and closer to the gym door’s entrance.
“Jay-ssi,” Seungkwan says pleasantly, and Jay should have seen the signs: the sharper smile, the manic glint of a prospective sale in those eyes—but how can he?
He’s still looking at the calendar.
“It’s almost the New Year. You know how it is—it’s time for resolutions. By any chance, is getting fit one of the things you want to achieve next year?”
… it’s only September but whatever. Jay shrugs.
“Not really,” he says.
But Seungkwan’s undeterred.
“And yet, it’s a very good resolution to have! Did you know that 43% of people quit their resolutions by the end of January?”
The mention of a figure peaks Jay’s interest a bit.
“Oh, really?”
Seungkwan leans ever closer and he’s still holding that calendar in the same way, the cover facing Jay, like some kind of temptation.
“Yes! And it’s sad. If only they had a more supportive environment… someone to guide them and keep them motivated, maybe they wouldn’t have quit. And the perfect place to have all that: a gym, Jay-ssi. EN-GYM’s known for fostering a community that offers support and encouragement so you can achieve your fitness goals—and more.”
… Jay has no idea what and more means or implies but…
“So I sign up and I get a calendar? This calendar?”
Seungkwan nods his head eagerly, pulling him even closer to the table where Jay realizes membership forms are waiting for him.
“Yes. We have other calendars since we have other trainers if you want to choose—”
“No, I want that one,” Jay interrupts, pointing at the one Seungkwan’s holding. “He’s a trainer here? What’s his name?”
“Park Sunghoon,” is the gleeful answer. “One of our best. See his arms?”
“Oh I see them,” Jay says with a nod. He wonders if he’ll ever run into this Park Sunghoon guy here... “I’ll sign up. Can I get a brand new calendar, not that one? So it’s not crumpled?”
Seungkwan’s smile is so wide, it’s almost genuine. He grabs a pen and some forms, pulling a chair for Jay to sit on.
“Of course, of course! And because you’re the first person I signed up today, guess what: you get a free tumbler, Jay-ssi.”
“Thanks,” Jay said as he starts writing his information down. He pauses at one section, labeled as required, and looks up at Seungkwan. “What’s this? It says choose your program. Do I have to choose now?”
Seungkwan waves a hand between them dismissively, not making a big deal out of it.
“Just choose anything you want. You can change it later. But if you’d like to work directly with Sunghoon-ssi—”
Jay straightens in his chair. Work with the Adonis on the front cover of the calendar he’s about to take home?
Yes sir.
“I can work with him directly?”
Again, Jay misses the renewed glint of sales madness in Seungkwan’s eyes.
“Yes, you can. His expertise is helping clients gain weight and build more muscle. Here, this is that program—and if you finish the program from start to finish, you also get a free planner! But not just any planner. It’s a Sunghoon planner.”
Jay waits because it’s obvious Seungkwan isn’t finished with what he’s saying, watching as he grabs his phone from the table. He steps forward and leans in, dropping his voice, secretive and all.
“I’ll show you a preview but keep it between us, ok? The planner’s got better pictures of your chosen trainer. Topless all the way. To keep you motivated, of course.”
“Of course,” Jay agrees, leaning forward eagerly himself as he waits for Seungkwan to unlock his phone. He goes to his camera roll and has to look around for a bit before tapping on one of the photos.
“Here you go. What a man, right?”
What a man indeed. Jay reaches out to zoom in on the parts that matter—god, those arms—his decision already made. When he meets Seungkwan’s gaze, he grins before turning back to the forms.
“Ok, I’ll sign up for his program, too. Is it also discounted? It says here there’s a separate fee for the programs.”
“I’ll give you my employee discount, Jay-ssi—again, don’t tell anyone—and a free umbrella. I’ll take care of it, don’t worry! We’ll get you your money’s worth and we’ll help you achieve all of your fitness goals.”
Jay doesn’t even have it in himself to be ashamed anymore as he hands over his debit card for Seungkwan to swipe. It’s not like he’s wasting money, right? Even if his ultimate goal is to get that calendar and, eventually, the planner… a gym membership will be beneficial. It’s going to be good for him—for his overall health.
That’s what he’ll tell his mom if she ever finds out about this.
“Here you go, Jay-ssi,” Seungkwan tells him as soon as he’s all set: he hands over the tumbler and umbrella first and, more carefully, the calendar. “We hope to see you here the soonest! If you have any questions, I left my contact details at the bottom of the form. Sunghoon-ssi will also reach out to you to coordinate your schedules. I’m sure he’ll be happy to meet you.”
Jay’s in the process of unrolling his brand new shiny calendar but pauses at what Seungkwan says.
“He’ll reach out to me?”
Seungkwan nods.
“Yes. He’ll send you a message first and then he’ll call you.”
Oh man. He needs to be ready and Jay doesn’t even know why. The thought of talking to the very guy in this calendar… it makes his heart beat a little faster, partly in excitement and the other in nervousness.
“Oh, ok. Thank you. I’ll see you around!”
Jay walks away, flipping through his calendar with a grin. Not bad. He can’t wait to talk to Sunghoon, meet him… get that planner.
The planner’s the goal.
And also getting to know Sunghoon.
Maybe.
Meanwhile, on the other side of Seungkwan’s table…
“Is that really the life you want for yourself? Sitting on a chair the whole day, screaming at invisible opponents, most of them probably half your age? Over a game?”
Heeseung opens and closes his mouth at what feels like a scolding from the sales clerk in front of him, a man named Xu Minghao. It feels like he’s being shamed here except…
“But what if we can help you find balance? You can still keep gaming, Heeseung-ssi—we shouldn’t stop doing things we enjoy—and then, for just two hours a day, you can start getting healthier again. More fit. You’re not giving anything up, just adding more value to the life you have right now.”
… that’s honestly not bad. If Heeseung can spend six to eight hours gaming, surely he can set aside a couple of hours a day, even if it’s not everyday, exercising, right? Minghao has a point.
“I mean…”
Feeling his hesitation, Minghao picks up the calendar he’d set aside and opens it to a random page. Points at the pretty boy on the top part of the page. It’s the reason why Heeseung’s here in the first place—he’d stopped walking at seeing it.
“Do you see this smile?”
Heeseung stares at the trainer that is, indeed, smiling at him from the glossy pages labeled as next year’s November. According to Minghao, the trainer’s name is Jaeyun.
“This is the smile of someone who’s fulfilled with their life because not only are they doing the things they like doing, they’re also doing them with a sound body and mind—thanks to exercise. They get to enjoy things fully. Completely. And who doesn’t want that, Heeseung-ssi?”
Who indeed.
Scratching the back of his head, Heeseung grabs his wallet. Maybe he’ll skip on buying that new game he’d been eyeing… this is better, right? It’s for his health. For a “sound” body and mind which, with the amount of ramyeon and spam he’s been eating, all the late nights slouching in the dark playing games… yeah, Heeseung’s mind and body are not very sound.
Plus he gets a free calendar. It’s the highlight of this entire thing. He gets to stare at Jaeyun, pretty as he is with an even prettier smile, all year next year.
“I’ll sign up,” he says, watching Minghao nod and smile.
“He also has a planner if you sign up to one of his Zumba programs—you have to finish the entire thing—and it’s limited edition. Has better pictures but of course it’s optional—”
“... can I see a preview? Of the pictures on the planner?”
Minghao’s smile turns into a secretive grin as he picks up his phone.
“I’m not allowed to show you this but since you’re going to sign up anyway… keep it a secret, ok? Keep it between us. Come here.”
Heeseung nods his head, leaning forward, and waits for Minghao who’s scrolling through his gallery. Eventually, he reaches a photo and taps on it.
“Here you go, Heeseung-ssi. Not bad, right? That smile will definitely keep you motivated.”
Not just the smile… but Minghao doesn’t need to know that. Heeseung looks up at him and thinks, screw the game he’s been saving for.
He wants that planner.
“Ok then. I’ll sign up for one of his Zumba programs.”
Minghao reaches for a pen and some forms, pulling a chair for Heeseung to sit on and waving him towards it.
“Perfect. We can’t wait to help enrich your life, Heeseung-ssi. I’ll also give you a free umbrella. How about a tumbler? Do you want a tumbler, too?”
“Sure,” Heeseung says, grabbing the pen and filling out the first page of the form.
Across the small space separating their tables, Minghao meets Seungkwan’s gaze. They wink and give each other a thumbs up.
They’re going to get a big commission for all these sign ups.