The Genius Decided To Live An Ordinary Life [EN]: Chapter 100

It felt like an interesting lucid dream. In this time where everything had stopped, Jinhyuk became Hong Ki-joon, and sometimes he slipped into the shadows. Even though he knew it was a dream he wouldn’t remember upon waking, he listened to the conversation between Hong Ki-joon and the shadow. Amidst all of this, his own figure, lying uncomfortably while surrounded by the kids, looked strangely content.

Hong Ki-joon released a long breath that had been filling his lungs.

While Hong Ki-joon was searching for the right words, the shadow rippled like a lake disturbed by an earthquake.

【Old man, do not forget your prohibition. You must never tell that person.】

It seemed like it wouldn’t act immediately.

Hong Ki-joon nodded at the shadow’s warning.

After all, he could only return after accepting that condition.

Hong Ki-joon, the sole returnee from the reversed time.

The shadow had only emphasized that it wouldn’t interfere no matter what he did, and that he should keep the secret. There was no mention of why it had to be that way. Hong Ki-joon, not in a position to complain, couldn’t even ask the reason and had no choice but to accept it unconditionally.

Hong Ki-joon gently stroked Jinhyuk’s forehead.

His touch was infinitely tender.

“I was just making some noises because I fell asleep feeling frustrated.”

【If there is a place that hurts, I will heal it.】

Hong Ki-joon’s brow furrowed.

It wasn’t a sound of pain. Or was it? Was it possible that his heart was aching because he was lonely? Anyway, he realized that coherent conversations in Korean were only possible with other Koreans.

“How am I supposed to understand you showing up here like this now?”

【A suggestion. I put it in place with the intention of giving a warning if the contract is broken.】

“It was for me. Because you were worried I might die from violating the contract.”

【Your guess is valid. Do not forget the contract.】

One corner of Hong Ki-joon’s mouth subtly curved upwards as he nodded with a serious expression.

Even though that shadow seemed blunt, it often answered the questions he asked. From what he had observed for a long time, it had many quirky and lacking aspects that didn’t match its mythical presence.

‘I was so frustrated with no one to complain to, and you just walked right into it.’

“Can you appear anywhere?”

【I can only hide in that person’s shadow. Anyway, your prohibition was not to tell that person.】

It was an answer that made him nod involuntarily.

But it was strange. If he was the only one who returned anyway, would Jinhyuk even believe him if he told him? It was only a year ago that he received a look as if he were a bug after telling Yoo Se-ra that he knew the future.

Hong Ki-joon asked a question he hadn’t been able to ask.

“What’s the reason why I shouldn’t tell this friend either? You said I’m the only one who returned.”

【The weight of souls is different. That one is more special. The memories engraved in the soul transcend time and space. If that person, whose seal is broken and has found his memories, goes crazy, can you or the humans handle it?】

‘What are you talking about? You put a seal on it, so why is the seal breaking? Could it be that this shadow is actually incompetent? Could it be that it can’t even kill me?’ Hong Ki-joon’s brain briefly entertained some absurd delusions. Whether he believed it or not, he felt like he would feel relieved just by telling Jinhyuk.

While having these absurd thoughts, Hong Ki-joon licked his dry lips with his tongue.

“I even suspected that you were interfering in this world. Seeing this friend’s abilities.”

【I did not interfere. All I did was turn back the time of that world, and that person’s specialness is all due to his own efforts.】

Hong Ki-joon gave a suspicious look at the words that were hard to accept.

“Fast feet, superhuman strength, physical growth. Are you saying all of that is this friend’s ability?”

【Of course. If he wanted to have the world, I would have gifted it to him. But since he just wants to live an ordinary life, there is no reason for me to interfere.】

The shadow was the only being that had looked into the desire, or rather the lack of desire, that was coiled deep within Jinhyuk’s heart.

By the way, in Hong Ki-joon’s view, both Son Jinhyuk and this shadow seemed to misunderstand the word ‘ordinary’.

“It’s not ordinary. No one sees this friend as ordinary.”

【Are all the humans in that world as foolish as you?】

“Excuse me?”

What kind of nonsense is this to someone who graduated from a prestigious university?

Hong Ki-joon was about to burst out, but he couldn’t bring himself to argue and just puffed up his cheeks.

【If you have a good head, use your head; if you are strong, use your strength; if you are wealthy, use your wealth. Using what you have as it is, is an ordinary thing, isn’t it? Living like a fool when you have a good head, hiding your strength when you are strong, and living like a beggar when you are wealthy is not ordinary, but deception. The opposite is also the same. They call that vanity, don’t they?】

Hong Ki-joon was speechless.

Apart from the fact that the meaning of ‘ordinary’ that the shadow was talking about sounded plausible on one hand, it was because he once again realized that a common-sense conversation on a human level was impossible with this shadow. It explained things quite kindly, but the focus was always off.

Anyway, does that mean that it’s not that extraordinary for someone with the ability to be the top student in the school to actually be the top student? That’s how Hong Ki-joon understood it.

The shadow added to Hong Ki-joon, who was sticking out his lips and pondering.

【Eagles are born as eagles from the start. Their food is different, and the world they live in is incomparable. It might look amazing to a chick, but-.】

“Yes… well. After listening to you, you’re right.”

He had to pretend to understand. Otherwise, that too-much-talker shadow would stop time indefinitely to give a lecture.

【Using the history that you have recorded is also just an action of an ordinary human. The reason I allowed it was because I acknowledged that point.】

The shadow kept looking around the room like a child watching something amazing.

【If he were an extraordinary and noble human, he would never have used it, talking about fairness. If this person had the same knowledge as you, what do you think he would have done?】

The shadow stretched out its black smoke-like arm and pointed at the sleeping Jinhyuk.

Only then did Hong Ki-joon nod his head.

Son Jinhyuk had lived a life far from ordinary even in the past. From the perspective of any human, his unfortunate life was like that, and so was the life where he didn’t use his advantages, as defined by the shadow. It was more accurate to say that he couldn’t because of his personality rather than that he didn’t use them.

‘If I looked like you, I wouldn’t have lived like a priest, you know.’

Hong Ki-joon smacked Jinhyuk’s forehead with a sound.

It was something he could do since time had stopped.

Even though he hit him lightly, his hand was tingling, so Hong Ki-joon squinted one eye.

“Anyway, you’re saying that this friend isn’t the same as the one in the past, but if the seal is broken and his memories come back, he could go berserk?”

【You’re smarter than a monkey. That person only received my protection for a while as a reward for his noble soul, and his case is different from yours.】

“Noble, huh…”

Did he have to live a life of abstinence like a monk to be considered noble by the shadow?

Hong Ki-joon was lost in thought, holding his chin.

【That is also just an interpretation from my perspective, and since you and I have different thoughts, I will not seek your agreement.】

Hong Ki-joon chuckled at the shadow’s additional explanation.

How much they had argued over that old expression. Nevertheless, the shadow didn’t scold or harm Hong Ki-joon. It just looked at him as if he were a strange animal. In many ways, it was an existence with a way of thinking and tolerance that was difficult to understand with human intellect and emotions.

【He is a different being from me. A nobility that I did not have. A spirit that values any life, not destruction and slaughter. Even gods consider life insignificant and all things in the universe kill their own kind for their own reasons, but that person was different.】

“Does this friend know about your existence?”

【No. There is no reason for me to manifest. I have only watched and given minor help when he desperately wanted it.】

“You’re not here, so how do you know and help-”

【It’s a suggestion I put on his heart as a reward. When he is in a situation he desperately wants, I can know. Like a dangerous situation.】

Hong Ki-joon’s eyes narrowed again.

If he helped, wouldn’t that mean he interfered in this world?

As if aware of Hong Ki-joon’s gaze, the shadow added.

【Let’s just say it was a small help for everyday life.】

At first, he was curious about what kind of world it was, so he came to look at it himself. Hiding in Son Jinhyuk’s shadow.

Then, he was discovered by a being named Sarniel, who was called a general. In this world, do they call Sarniel a dog? Anyway.

One day, when he felt a strong connection, he checked and found that Son Jinhyuk was doing meditation breathing.

When he felt deep sadness, he was talking to the soul of a woman ascending to heaven. He quickly chased that woman away, isolating Jinhyuk from sadness.

The day he came because his back was tingling, an old man who looked like a priest glared at him. He wasn’t caught, but it seemed like a world that was not easy in many ways, so he decided that he shouldn’t come often. Because it could interfere with Jinhyuk’s daily life.

Still, he would quietly talk whenever Jinhyuk’s younger sibling called him.

He had been talking to the baby every night since he was a baby, and the baby’s babbling was so cute. The baby also didn’t dislike the shadow and came every night.

Hong Ki-joon opened his eyes wide like a sparrow towards the shadow, which seemed to be about to say something but then became silent.

‘This bastard is thinking about something else again.’

“So, about the help…”

【You don’t need to know.】

The shadow’s intervention was very minor.

In order not to interfere in this world, he borrowed the energy that Jinhyuk had filled with meditation. He created a moon that brightly illuminated the dark mudflat above his head, and with that energy, he saved his mother and younger sibling who were about to cross the threshold of death. It seemed that some abilities, such as language, were transferred in the process of saving the fetus and wishing for health, but there was no reason to worry since the younger sibling would lose his abilities as he gained humanity.

His will to save even the wicked was admirable, so he put a prohibition on the wicked as well. Jinhyuk would probably mistake it as if he had captured the wicked with his own efforts and wit, but what did it matter?

Anyway, the shadow only looked into this world when Jinhyuk desperately wanted something.

【It was a very insignificant help that happens everywhere in the world. But that doesn’t mean I help everyone. I cannot help what I do not know.】

“Are there things you don’t know?”

【Rather than not knowing, let’s just say I lack understanding of a primitive world.】

What is a status window?

The shadow was about to ask Hong Ki-joon what it was, but held back because of his pride. It was obvious that even that old man, who barely surpassed the intelligence of a monkey, wouldn’t know. He didn’t know what it was that he was desperately muttering about, but he remembered being called a couple of times because of something called a status window.

“Well… is that so.”

He didn’t know what had happened, but since he said so, he just thought it was so. Hong Ki-joon only scratched his sideburns. It was because he already knew that it was difficult to gauge the scale of the triviality that the shadow was talking about. It was an existence that had lightly punched and blown away a planet, yet called it a trivial matter.

“Hey, is it possible to change the contract?”

【What are you talking about?】

“I need this friend’s help.”

Asking a middle school student for management advice was no different from nonsense.

However, looking at his abnormal growth rate and talent, it didn’t seem impossible. Even Son Kwang-yeon couldn’t win a single game of Go, and he was getting help in fields other than farming, wasn’t he?

【Changing the contract is something you cannot even imagine. You must never reveal to that person that you are a returnee. Your heart will stop. I’m telling you this because of our old friendship.】

Hong Ki-joon covered his forehead.

The world looked like a Go board that was dozens of times more complex.

Every time he made a move, the history he had recorded changed every moment.

Every time he placed a Go stone, history changed, and he couldn’t decide where to place the next stone. He had aggressively absorbed several companies, not just one or two business items, so it was natural that it was difficult to predict the changes. There were more than ten American companies that he had acquired under the name of the investment company he had established in the United States.

If it hadn’t been for the advice of Son Kwang-yeon, whom Hong Ki-joon had uniquely recognized as a genius, he wouldn’t have been able to become vice president so quickly.

Son Kwang-yeon had also reached his limit, so he needed another helper. A helper one step above Son Kwang-yeon.

“My head is about to explode.”

【Don’t worry. As long as your lifespan is not over, you cannot die without my permission. If you are in pain, I will heal you.】

‘Ah, for fuck’s sake.’

He just can’t understand.

Hong Ki-joon suddenly felt annoyed.