The Genius Decided To Live An Ordinary Life [EN]: Chapter 10

The race with Janggun continued.

The course was also changed. The distance increased, and the slopes became more varied.

We reached the frozen reservoir beyond the back hill and took a breather.

Beyond the reservoir, the highest mountain in the area could be seen. It was called Gubong Mountain because it had nine peaks, reaching a height of 360 meters above sea level. It was a laughable height in areas with famous mountains and mountain ranges, but this was the west coast, where most mountains were low.

‘It’s quite high.’

It looked like a miniature version of Gwanak Mountain, which Jinhyuk often visited, and it looked even more similar because of the many rocks.

Even 40 or 50 years ago, tigers and wolves lived there, and until 10 years ago, foxes howled every early evening. It was still an auspicious place where wild ginseng and rare plants were found. It was also called a famous mountain with legends of all sorts of ghosts and goblin stories.

Looking at Gubong Mountain, Jinhyuk nodded as if making a promise.

‘Someday, I will climb that mountain every day.’

It was still too much for his short legs.

Whine-.

Janggun’s bark sounded pitiful, as if he felt a strange chill.

Jinhyuk, who was about two finger-widths smaller than the other kids, had become the tallest kid in his class after the winter vacation. He was two finger-widths taller than the second tallest girl, Park Jung-im. He was still just a ten-year-old kid, but it was a remarkable growth. There were many older sisters and brothers in higher grades who were shorter than Jinhyuk, who was now in the third grade.

***

Three lives.

That’s what he had been told from beyond the dark veil. That he could save three people. Two were his parents.

“Jinhyuk, you must be happy to have a sibling.”

His mother smiled like the morning sun, looking shy and happy.

Thump, thump-.

A sibling!

‘The other one was my sibling!’

No wonder his mother had been feeling nauseous during the winter vacation. She hadn’t been going out much and was walking carefully, so he had just thought she wasn’t feeling well. Thinking back to how she had walked holding his father’s hand like she was entering a wedding, his father must have known.

‘There’s no father in the world to trust!’

And everyone else is a wolf except me. Jinhyuk muttered, feeling Janggun’s belly, who was lying on his back with his belly exposed. This guy has too many dog fleas. No wonder my neck has been itchy lately.

By the end of the spring break, his mother’s belly had started to bulge. Thanks to his father, his mother wasn’t overdoing it, but Jinhyuk hurried home even faster, worried that his mother might overexert herself.

Racing home with Janggun, who came to meet him at the stream, was also an important part of his daily routine.

‘Janggun is really fast!’

It seemed like no one could beat Janggun.

Even when he was stubborn and gritted his teeth, even when he squeezed his muscles and swung his arms like crazy, Janggun only got further away. Indeed, Janggun was the fastest sprinter in Dunaeri. He ran with Jinhyuk every day, so it was probably a natural result.

“Huff-, huff! Janggun, let’s change your name to ‘Dog Lewis’.”

Heheheh-?

Janggun tilted his head, his tongue hanging out.

You’ll soon find out, Janggun.

Two months later, when the 1988 Seoul Olympics were held, an athlete with that name would appear.

He wanted to use a female sprinter’s name to match the gender, but no name came to mind. Greenpeace? What was it? It lingered around his lips for a moment and then disappeared.

He thought ‘Dog Johnson’ would be good too, but it didn’t sound right.

Not only did it not sound right, but it also felt like he was putting poison in the dog’s food.

Finally, the time came before the summer vacation.

Han Yu-young, who had been staying home anxiously, called her husband urgently.

“Honey! I think the baby is coming!”

“Jinhyuk! Hold your mother’s hand tightly!”

His father went to get Grandma Mikyung from across the big field.

His father wanted to go to the hospital, but people in the countryside were not used to giving birth in hospitals. He couldn’t break his wife Han Yu-young’s stubbornness to give birth at home.

The clash between Seoul and the countryside often occurred in unexpected places like this. Fortunately, they were people who respected and yielded to each other’s areas and opinions, so there were no conflicts.

‘They said I have to start the fire.’

Jinhyuk rummaged through his wrinkled knowledge, recalling his memories. Even on hot days, a mother’s body feels cold, and the room must be heated to prevent postpartum pain and gynecological diseases.

“Mom, I’ll go start the fire.”

He stroked his mother’s forehead, which was younger than his soul, and moved to the kitchen. He put pine needles and twigs into the stove and skillfully started a fire. He had always helped his mother when preparing dinner after his afternoon exercise, so it was not difficult. His parents were amazed that the fire would flare up as soon as Jinhyuk struck a match.

‘Is Mom twenty-nine? Or thirty?’

He didn’t even think about how his mother had given birth to him at twenty.

He chuckled, but his heart was pounding with anticipation for his soon-to-be-born sibling. At the same time, he prayed for his mother’s safe delivery.

‘Please, please.’

Knowing a lot about the world wasn’t always a good thing. There were things that worried him as much as he knew. How many mothers had problems giving birth at home? He had heard that such things often happened even in hospitals. Still, Jinhyuk was the kind of person who believed that knowing is power rather than ignorance is bliss.

He put thick firewood into the well-lit stove. Pine needles and twigs had good firepower, but they burned out quickly, so he put in firewood to maintain the heat.

Steam rose from the pot, and the water warmed up. He brought a washbasin to the main room where his mother was lying and carried water from the cauldron with a gourd several times.

‘It’s dangerous if I spill it while carrying it all at once.’

He had already learned in his previous life that you had to be calm when you were in a hurry.

After carrying enough water, Jinhyuk soaked a towel in warm water and wiped his mother’s hands, feet, and face.

“Mom, are you okay?”

“Yes. Don’t worry, my son. Your mother is strong.”

Strong, my foot. She was so skinny, and she was full of bluff. Still, her expression wasn’t bad, and her complexion was okay, so Jinhyuk was relieved.

“I’ll be back in the kitchen for a bit.”

He got water from the tap and soaked seaweed. He had thought it was useless knowledge that he would never use, living alone for over forty years, but it was seeing the light of day like this. Even in the midst of his pounding heart, he was amazed. It seemed that no knowledge was ever useless.

Haa, haa-.

The color was fading from his mother’s face. Her breathing was weak, and her eyes were half-closed like a tired person. His father and Grandma Mikyung hadn’t arrived yet. Should he call 119 now? How long would it take them to get here?

“Umm-.”

Faint breaths and a weakened pulse. The focus in his mother’s eyes disappeared, and her eyelids slowly closed. Something was going wrong.

How could he lose his mother again!

He cried out inwardly, grabbed his mother’s hand, and put his hand on her forehead.

“Mom, you can’t lose consciousness. Don’t fall asleep.”

He prayed with all his heart.

That was all he could do.

***

It was a cold and dark place. A chilly wind was blowing from somewhere. There was no light, but the visibility was good. A black sky without a single star, and a river with black waves lapping in front of her.

She stroked her belly, which was bulging only in the front.

From behind, she looked like a young lady.

‘It must be a daughter.’

She thought so, looking at her belly that didn’t spread to the sides.

In the old days, adults used to bet on whether a pregnant woman was carrying a son or a daughter by looking at her back. If her waist looked slim even from behind, they called it a ‘daughter’s belly.’

It was strange that she remembered such things when she didn’t know where she was or who she was. But Han Yu-young just thought, ‘Oh, well.’

The baby’s movements, which had been pulsating strongly, had subsided.

She had suddenly fallen into an unfamiliar place, but she moved as if she had come to a place where she was supposed to be. She didn’t even wonder who she was, let alone about the baby in her belly.

The power that made humans live. The curiosity that made life enjoyable and enriched the soul had evaporated, so she was no longer a human being.

Was it lingering attachment? Tears flowed for no reason with every step she took.

She realized that the river, which was sadly rippling in front of her, was filled with the tears of the dead.

As she stepped into the river, a pure white arched bridge appeared before her.

She was about to step onto the faintly glowing white bridge as if it were natural.

[Mom, you can’t lose consciousness. Don’t fall asleep.]

It was a voice that heavily filled the dark sky. It also had a grandeur that dared not be disobeyed.

Han Yu-young withdrew her outstretched leg.

Mom? Is that for me?

Consciousness? I’m awake.

Where have I heard that voice before?

She turned her head toward the direction of the voice.

A strong wind suddenly blew, as if trying to prevent her from opening her eyes. The black river rose into waves as big as houses, as if it would swallow her whole. But she felt like she had to see it. It was because of the intuition that she would regret it if she didn’t check. Curiosity sprouted again, and human emotions began to grow.

Is that a star?

There was a star shining alone in the black sky.

That star called her Mom.

She knew. It was a star that shone only for her.

The starlight, which had been weaker than a firefly, gradually shone more brilliantly and swelled in size.

Finally, a dazzling light exploded and covered the whole world.

And.

‘Ouch-.’

The baby in her belly kicked powerfully.

***

His mother opened her eyes.

Her complexion had improved, and her blurry eyes had become clear.

“I think I fell asleep for a moment. They said I shouldn’t fall asleep while giving birth. Jinhyuk, stay by my side now. Until your father comes.”

Han Yu-young was anxious.

She was afraid that she would fall asleep before her husband and the midwife arrived. And that she wouldn’t wake up.

The scene that had flashed by like a dream had been burned by the intense light and was not in her memory.

“Yes. I’ll be by your side.”

Jinhyuk was just as anxious, so he held his mother’s hand tightly. He also put his hand on his mother’s belly and gently stroked it, as if cheering for his struggling sibling. He could feel the baby’s strong life force through his palm.

“Waaaaaaaah-!”

Finally, the baby’s first cry was heard.

The two men who had been waiting anxiously in the yard quickly rushed into the main room. The mother had given birth to Jinhyuk’s sibling without any major crisis, and both the mother and the baby looked healthy.

Wow!

‘Wow, she’s so pretty.’

He didn’t know that babies were this pretty.

In his previous life, he had never seen or touched a baby up close, and he hadn’t even gotten married. Looking at his sibling, who had distinct features even though she was a newborn, Jinhyuk’s eyes welled up with tears as if she were his own baby.

“Jinhyuk’s family is very blessed. That boy is so smart that I didn’t have anything to do.”

Grandma Mikyung praised Jinhyuk in a clear voice.

From starting the fire to warm water and towels, and even the mother’s cleanliness. She praised Jinhyuk as if she wanted his father and mother to hear, saying that he was better than any midwife or doctor.

“Thank you, elder. Thank you for your hard work.”

Son Kwang-yeon followed Grandma Mikyung out to the yard. He politely handed her a yellow envelope containing money.

“Oh, don’t do that for no reason! I’m going to make seaweed soup. Take care of the wife and the baby. Oh my, look how smart our Jinhyuk is. He even soaked the seaweed. How can this be…”

Ah, she wasn’t going to leave.

Son Kwang-yeon scratched the back of his head, feeling embarrassed.

“Dad, what’s the baby’s name?”

Cooing, cooing-.

Jinhyuk asked, looking at his sibling who was nursing at his mother’s breast.

“Yujin. Son Yujin.”

He must have taken one letter from his wife’s and son’s names.

Jinhyuk murmured his sibling’s name.

“Yujin.”

It was Jinhyuk’s younger sister’s name.

Looking at the newborn baby wriggling and sucking on her mother’s breast, Jinhyuk thought.

‘I need to make money.’

His only goal had been to live happily with his parents in the countryside. His father was rich anyway, and he had no interest in wealth. Where did human dreams last forever? Still, Jinhyuk had held onto the consistent goal of being a farmer for almost ten months, so he could be said to have a pretty strong will.

Anyway, looking at his sibling, who was nine years younger than him, he vowed to be a good older brother. He wanted to be like a giant tree that could provide shade and block the wind.

‘Wow, even when I’m twenty, Yujin will still be in elementary school.’

But who cares?

Jinhyuk felt like he could fly.

‘I have a younger sister!’

He ran out to the yard.

He spread his arms wide toward the sky and spread his legs.

And then, he stood on tiptoes as if stretching and shouted.

“Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!”

He had saved all three people.

Even his sibling, who didn’t exist in his previous life. It was an emotion that could not be explained in words. Even after shouting hooray until his chest burst, the emotion didn’t subside. Tears were about to pour out like a volcanic eruption. Tears welled up like a stream swollen by the monsoon rains, and his eyes burned.

His father, Son Kwang-yeon, also came out to the yard and followed Jinhyuk.

“Hoo-.”

“Aaaaaaah-!”

Han Yu-young glared at her husband, Son Kwang-yeon, while soothing the crying baby.

Jinhyuk, who was shrugging his shoulders at his father’s wronged expression, finally shed tears.

‘Ugh. It looks like I’m crying because of Jinhyuk…’

But it’s still good.

Son Kwang-yeon smiled like a kind fool.

“Hehehehehe-.”

“Ehehehehehe-.”

The two men continued to laugh like idiots in the yard.

Their laughter was different, but their thoughts were the same.