The Genius Decided To Live An Ordinary Life [EN]: Chapter 105

Jinhyuk visited the single-story house construction site with his mother, carrying a large amount of chilled sweet rice drink to treat the workers.

The building had a unique design, with two structures on the north side and two on the south. After leveling the ground and laying the foundation, the walls and roof went up quickly. It wasn’t a typical ‘L’ or ‘U’ shaped rural single-story house, nor was it built using only bricks and cement. It was closer to a ‘ㅁ’ shape [a square with an open center], designed so that the interior was completely hidden from the outside.

“You’ve arrived.”

A man holding a file bowed to Han Yu-young.

He didn’t look like a worker. Probably a supervisor.

While Jinhyuk was at school, his mother had been seeing these people often, so she was naturally chatting with them.

“Once the roof finishing is done, we’ll lay gravel, sand, and soil on top, then cover it with grass and plant trees. That way, you won’t know there’s a house here unless you look closely.”

This was according to Hong Ki-joon’s instructions to blend the structure naturally with the terrain.

Jinhyuk nodded, looking at the bird’s-eye view the man was showing him.

From the south, where the entrance was, it looked like a hobbit house, but from the north, it would just look like a low hill.

“A designer from the US, specially scouted by Vice Chairman Hong Ki-joon, is overseeing everything from the architecture to the landscaping.”

Han Yu-young, having checked the layout of the security buildings, tilted her head. She had only seen the site with her eyes, so seeing the floor plan for the first time made the layout seem strange.

“It’s like they’re building to surround our house?”

“Because they’re security buildings.”

Jinhyuk spoke instead of the man.

Ah-, Han Yu-young opened her mouth slightly and was impressed.

“I see. That’s cool. When will I see the young uncles’ faces? Ooh-.”

Her point of anticipation seemed a bit odd. Well, it could be like that.

The security guards were probably around her age or younger.

Curious about the completed interior, they moved to look around the house.

The rooms varied in shape, but they had one thing in common: narrow, long glass windows that ran across the walls.

‘More for surveillance than for lighting. Once the finishing is done, it’ll really be like a bunker.’

It was a bunker that looked like a hobbit house.

Even in the bedrooms, kitchen, living room, and bathrooms, the structure allowed for monitoring the outside. And there were four such security buildings.

Since there were four small rooms that looked like bedrooms in each, would that mean there would be sixteen security guards?

“Soo-jung’s dad said one of the buildings is for the uncles who came for dinner last time.”

She was probably referring to Moon Seok-il and his group.

Although it was a bit far from the house, this level of security was probably stricter than presidential security. Even with a lot of money, one might think this was a bit much.

However, his mother was just impressed and didn’t question it. With this kind of personality, she probably let a lot of things slide.

“It’s a new business that Sein Group is introducing, so they’re putting in a lot of people. For training purposes.”

Nodding at his mother’s words, Jinhyuk recalled the report he had skimmed in Yoo Myung-sun’s study.

Sein Security Service.

The acronym was strangely futuristic.

SSS-grade hunter… no, security guard. With so many S’s, the name itself had an effect of looking excellent.

In the past, Sein Group didn’t have a security company. This time, it seemed that Hong Ki-joon had established it because of Son Kwang-yeon, but Jinhyuk knew that it was also for his own benefit. He knew that they were trying to get help with management, even if it was through hazy dream memories. It seemed like a consideration for him to live comfortably without worries.

‘The preemptive effect will be huge? If they cover banks, corporate offices, and warehouses…’

There were other security service companies, but if Hong Ki-joon got involved and put the Sein name on it, they could almost monopolize the market.

Since history had changed after that day when he was nine, it wouldn’t be strange if Hong Ki-joon became president. Nevertheless, seeing Hong Ki-joon distancing himself from politics, Jinhyuk could guess his intentions.

‘He’s doing it because it’ll get too complicated. He’s just trying to use the political world appropriately.’

It was a problem he had thought about before, but the history that an individual employee could change was limited. However, if you were the owner of a group, you would inevitably cause changes close to a tectonic shift. The world was already paying attention to Sein.

“Aigo-! Yujin-ah! Janggun-ah! Ahahahahak-!”

Jinhyuk’s thoughts, which had been lightly pondering, were cut off by his mother’s scream-like laughter.

Jinhyuk quickly moved outside.

“Ehehe-, it’s fun, right?”

Ah, Yujin-ah.

Smack-smack-, Yujin was putting red dots on her cheeks with cement paste and building poop-shaped towers.

It would feel strange to touch that with bare hands. Jinhyuk frowned.

Hehehe-. Janggun was enjoying himself, leaving gray footprints everywhere.

***

While Son Kwang-yeon was probably the busiest person in the house, Jinhyuk couldn’t just relax either.

He had to take care of his family.

After washing Yujin, his father was spreading out the Korean chess board [Janggi] and sending his son a sparkling look.

Outside, stars were appearing one by one, and inside, the chess pieces on the board were decreasing one by one.

“So, does Sein cover the security guards’ labor costs too?”

“Of course. Those people are very expensive.”

Perhaps he was in a good mood because he had the chess board in front of him, Son Kwang-yeon said nonchalantly with a smile.

“They lend us the land, they provide the VIPs. It’s not enough even if Dad gets paid.”

“VIPs…”

“Yeah. It means important people.”

Son Kwang-yeon shrugged as if it was nothing.

No, Jinhyuk knew that much, but he also thought that his father, who was calling himself an important person, was quite something.

But he hadn’t heard that the labor costs of security company employees were expensive.

“They do not only general security services but also VIP security services. That’s what the people who came to our house do. Seok-il will test and select the additional personnel.”

Son Kwang-yeon was particularly careful with the V pronunciation, as if trying to show off that he was educated.

“Did Uncle Moon Seok-il also join Sein?”

“I think Ki-joon told him to for now. He’ll need an identity.”

Identity. Everyone would be wary of Sein, which had risen so rapidly that it could be called a tectonic shift, but the company that would be most wary was the number one company, Daejeong. Once the acquisition of the car company was completed, Sein would be right on Daejeong’s heels. Then they would be recognized as rivals, and if they were part of such a company, Moon Seok-il and his group would naturally be protected.

‘I didn’t think that far, but it’s even better.’

Dad must have advised him.

As far as Jinhyuk knew, Son Kwang-yeon was the only one who was so good at strategy. He thought that even if they were used, they would be placed under his father and given managerial positions, but he had come up with an even better plan.

All of his guesses were correct, but there was one thing Jinhyuk hadn’t considered.

“We’re saving money.”

Son Kwang-yeon smiled like Young-gu [a character known for being foolish]. It was the first time in a while that he had seen his kind, foolish expression.

Jinhyuk also smiled foolishly, following his father.

In the past, he had secretly criticized his father for being immature, but recently, he had only seen his solemn and serious side, so he missed his childlike father.

“Awesome! Janggun!”

Even now.

He was so happy to see his father back to the way he knew him, shouting ‘Janggun’ with such power.

Well, that didn’t mean he was winning.

“Check.”

“Ah…”

His father scratched the back of his head.

At that moment, a squeaking sound was heard, and the living room window fogged up.

Hehehe-.

Janggun, who had heard his name like a ghost, came running and was puffing out his breath.

“Aigo, that guy should rest at home if he’s full.”

When they saw Janggun with swollen breasts and a bulging belly, the whole family was worried, but fortunately, Janggun was still healthy.

Unlike Jinhyuk, who felt somewhat complicated, Son Kwang-yeon happily raised the corners of his mouth.

That Pomi, she looked so innocent but was so talented.

He also remembered how he had seduced Han Yu-young.

‘Those were good times.’

***

The next day dawned, and Son Kwang-yeon and Jinhyuk left to do their work.

When something happened in the neighborhood, Chun Gil-ryong and Jo Il-heon’s meddling couldn’t be left out.

The two single men, who had toured the site together and nagged the workers, went up to the roof of Son Kwang-yeon’s house and looked around the site. Like conquerors.

“The land is rising.”

“Elder, what are you talking about? The land was dug up and lowered?”

At Jo Il-heon’s question, Chun Gil-ryong pointed his pipe around as if sweeping.

“Baesan Imsoo, left blue dragon, right white tiger” [Feng Shui principles for auspicious land].

“Ehey-, where does that kind of thing exist?”

Tsk-!

Chun Gil-ryong just glared at Jo Il-heon with a dissatisfied look and didn’t scold him. Once he started talking, he would go on and on, saying that he had some ink in his head [meaning he’s educated], and whether it was right or wrong, he was so good at telling stories that you would feel like you had to buy something if you listened to him.

“As expected, when a rich guy uses his money properly instead of doing stupid things, the land changes.”

“That’s right-. We want to do stupid things too, but we don’t have the money, so we just do stupid things-”

Jo Il-heon, with a cigarette hanging crookedly from his mouth, put his hands in his pockets and shook one leg.

Chun Gil-ryong sighed quietly and pretended not to hear, just saying what he wanted to say.

“The energy flowing along that river will meet the yin energy coming from the sea and create harmony.”

“That’s not a river-”

Chun Gil-ryong glared at Jo Il-heon once more.

It would be nice if he just understood roughly, but he always said the right thing. Still, he hung out with him whenever he had time because he was worried that the old man would be bored, so he didn’t want to push him away.

Chun Gil-ryong, puffing on his pipe, muttered.

“What are all those mysterious tactics? The way to turn the earth upside down and go big in one shot is the way of a great man. When you build a site and raise energy, swallows gather, and those swallows will bring wealth. It’s like someone who has been growing the land for today-”

He had only kept Jinhyuk in mind, so he thought he would somehow live with his petty tricks. But that wasn’t it.

“To protect their young, tigers come out of their dens, but people build castles. That’s right-”

Jo Il-heon, who had been frowning and eavesdropping, blinked.

As if he wasn’t interested in his reaction, Chun Gil-ryong’s muttering, like a Buddhist chant, continued.

His eyes, nodding, sparkled like a child’s.

“That’s right, that’s right. It’s refreshing to bulk up and split it in one go.”

Chun Gil-ryong’s expressions had changed to modern ones as he had more contact with the young people in the neighborhood. It was also because he couldn’t suddenly think of the word ‘all or nothing’.

“Elder, what are you muttering about?”

Tsk. Chun Gil-ryong clicked his tongue in annoyance.

Jo Il-heon had a knack for tricks, but he didn’t have the mind to understand the principles. So it was a waste to explain something in detail. But he felt sorry to scold him, and when he was so annoyingly clingy, it was best to say something nice.

“Jo Daegam [a respectful title] will get married soon.”

“Huh? Really?”

Chun Gil-ryong responded with a smile to Jo Il-heon’s startled reaction.

“Don’t forget the grace of this house’s owner. It’s because he changed the energy of the neighborhood.”

“When? When is he going?”

“Well, I don’t know either.”

“No, how can you not know that?”

Jo Il-heon, who was about to argue, looked at Chun Gil-ryong’s eyes and released the strength in his fist.

He didn’t want to fight with an old man, but…

‘Would I lose?’

As Jo Il-heon looked away, Chun Gil-ryong’s eyes softened.

“Hey, do persimmons fall if you just stand still? You have to climb the tree.”

Jo Il-heon, who was slowly nodding, thinking that he should go to the township office to meet Kwak Hyang-rim tomorrow, had a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“But, Elder. If the land rises, is it ‘giball’ or ‘balgi’?” [a play on words using similar-sounding terms related to rising and construction].

“…”

Chun Gil-ryong pursed his lips while holding his pipe.

It seemed like ‘giball’ would be correct in terms of the subject-predicate relationship, but since it wasn’t rising on its own and a person was building it, it would be correct to see it as ‘balgi’, which is a verb-object relationship, or maybe it was a verb-complement relationship. There were no children coming to learn Chinese characters these days, so it was hazy. Chun Gil-ryong’s eyes became listless as he pondered.

“Itcha-, itcha-.”

At the sound coming from behind, the two men turned around.

“Itcha-, itcha-.”

Thump-thump-.

The voice and footsteps could be heard, but the main character was not visible. They didn’t have to see who it was, but they knew.

Hehehe-.

Janggun came up first and looked back.

As if watching to see if Son Yujin was coming up well.

“Yahoo-!”

Son Yujin, who had finally reached the roof, took a victory pose on tiptoes.

That figure was similar to Jinhyuk, who had raised his hands in victory on the day his younger sibling was born.

Son Yujin, with one hand on her hip, pointed at the old single men in the neighborhood as if scolding them.

“What are you doing at our house?”

She was different from her usual self, who would bow politely, so it seemed like she was uncomfortable.

Chun Gil-ryong gathered his hands politely.

Wasn’t Chun Gil-ryong the one who said that the owners of the world were the young and the children? Besides, that little girl had a sharp edge to her. There were also rumors that she had conquered the neighborhood at the age of five.

“Aheoheo-. No, well-. We were just about to leave-”

“Yeah, we’re leaving now-”

Of course. No matter how much they talked about tactics and the energy of the land, they were just subordinates in front of the owner of the house.

Han Yu-young’s voice, which came from below, saved the two men who were fidgeting.

“Yujin-ah-, tell them to come eat lunch.”

Son Yujin put both hands on her hips.

“Did you hear that?”