The Game Before the Fall

Chapter 2: Before fame. (Part 2)

Two weeks passed and my body had changed substantially. Fine muscle had quickly built up beneath my skin and the layers of fat, though not entirely diminished had been cut back a lot. My face was leaner, showing off the refreshing looks I had inherited from my father and more importantly I felt much better. My body was finally moving more according to my will. The entire process went much faster than I thought it would. While I would like to think it was because of my efforts alone, I had to admit the greatest effect was coming from Zen's regular massages. Without them I would have taken much longer breaks between, but with her help I was getting full body work outs regularly and without fatigue building up. At first Aria and my dad were concerned from the sudden change but now that more time had passed, the two were inadvertently pulled into my health kick. Aria even wanted to join Zen's gym however she still had school to do deal with.

"You're doing really well," Zen commented as I put down the set of weights I was using. "Your muscles are defining quite nicely and you're really keeping up with my martial arts lessons. It's almost like you've done them before." She laughed and I joined in trying to hide the awkward truth of it.

"It really is thanks to you," I said honestly. "You've been a great guide."

"Oh you'll make me blush," she acted coy.

"But Zen..., I'm not seeing many people come by." In fact I hadn't seen anyone at all. I used the gym after I dropped Aria off at the bus station and returned when I had to pick her up. Aside from some very minor evidence of people using the equipment late at night, there was next to nothing.

"Hmm, yeah. You're still my only member," she pondered perplexed on what to do. "Did I not get the right equipment?"

"No, I think you have all you need." Aside from being in an odd location, the gym was perfectly set up. "How long have you been open for?"

"About two months now."

"Two months..., how did your opening day go? Did many people come by?"

"Opening day? It was pretty quiet. No one turned up."

"Wait," I paused. "Did you have an opening celebration?"

"What for?" she looked at me genuinely curious.

"Zen..., now I think about it. I've never seen any flyers and aside from the sign in the alley... have you marketed this place at all?"

"Why would I take it to a market?"

"Zen!" I couldn't help exclaiming. Now that I had got to know her better, I was becoming suspicious about her business prowess. She was passionate, friendly and knowledgeable but when it came to anything outside of exercise and martial arts it was like it was a foreign concept.

"W-what?" she looked taken aback.

"You know you need to make money, don't you?" I had to make sure.

"O-of course I know that much. I did pay for all the equipment," she acted smug.

"And what about the cost of rent? If I'm the only member you have, you're going to go bankrupt!"

"W-well I know that. I have money... at least some left."

I didn't trust her at all. I was beginning to realise why Zen's gym failed and she basically became homeless. The equipment inside the gym wasn't cheap but quality goods totalling in the hundreds of thousands, even with the somewhat suss location the rent couldn't be cheap. What more was that she was naïve. I was beginning to become afraid for her future.