The Genius Decided To Live An Ordinary Life [EN]: Chapter 11

Finally, it was Saturday in late July, the start of summer vacation.

As soon as Jinhyuk returned from school, he dashed to the water faucet in the front yard. With each passing day and every run, his breathing became more comfortable, but the increasingly hot weather left his body flushed with heat.

The sight of the groundwater, calmly reflecting the sunlight in the red rubber tub, was almost mesmerizing.

He stripped naked and doused himself with the cold water.

*Swoosh-.*

‘Keeeuh! This is the life!’

The refreshing sensation of the groundwater washing over him from the top of his head to his toes.

This liberating feeling that only a man can fully enjoy!

He soaped every inch of his body. He didn’t even mind the soap getting in his eyes. Jinhyuk was a real man, after all. It was said that a true man was one who could keep his eyes open and endure the stinging pain of soap in his eyes.

After rinsing off the soap, he scrubbed his hands thoroughly. His hands needed to be especially clean when holding the baby.

“Our Jinhyuk is home?”

His mother opened the door to the main room, welcoming Jinhyuk.

Oh, no!

Jinhyuk quickly covered his private parts with a bucket.

“You can’t look!”

He was severely flustered. Covering himself was a good idea, but in his panic, he ended up turning around and inadvertently showing off his plump backside, a filial act gone wrong.

“Hehehehe-.”

His mother chuckled as she closed the door, her shoulders shaking.

Just a year ago, her son would playfully touch her chest and act like a spoiled child, but now he was so shy. It was the same when she bathed the baby in the main room.

– “Jinhyuk, should Mom wash you too?”

– “No, no, no! I’ll do it myself in the yard!”

He would wave his hands and blush. He even turned his head away, unable to watch her breastfeed the baby. Han Yu-young thought that when a child became more mature, they left their mother’s side sooner.

Of course, the truth was far beyond that…

***

The Son family, father and son, strolled through the cultivated fields.

When the rainy season passed and the humidity and temperature began to rise, rice farmers would keep a close watch on their paddies. They needed to check for rice blast disease and, if the disease had spread, apply fungicides. This rice blast disease could lie dormant over the year, so they had to disinfect the seeds, apply pesticides, avoid excessive topdressing, and ensure the water temperature didn’t drop.

“Is it okay?”

“Yeah. It doesn’t seem as hot as usual this year.”

Ten years ago, a well-meaning man from another house, worried about how hot the rice must be, poured cool groundwater into his paddy, only to become the source of rice blast disease in other people’s fields.

The identity of that kind, naive city bumpkin was never revealed. It was thanks to Choi Jang-hwan’s well-intentioned cover-up. Choi Jang-hwan encouraged him, saying that it was how one learned.

As soon as Jinhyuk finished his walk with his father, he washed his hands and face and picked up his younger sibling.

*Dung-gae dung-gae dung-gae-ya.* [A playful sound often made when bouncing a baby]

“Coo-ing-.”

“Looks like our baby’s nap time. I should go play outside.”

Jinhyuk handed the fussy baby to his mother and went out to the front yard. He wanted to express his affection by touching the sleeping baby, but he knew that babies needed to sleep to grow.

He climbed onto the porch and unfolded the newspaper.

「President Roh Tae-woo Presents Credentials to the Ambassador of Free China」

Right, there was a time when Taiwan was called Free China. It’s so strange to think about now.

He diligently read the newspaper to grasp the flow of the world, but it wasn’t fun at all. The newspaper pages flipped by quickly.

「[Topic] American Ice Cream Lands in the Soviet Union. Expected to be Popular in Moscow」

The Soviet Union, what a forgotten name to revive today. How new it feels.

When did the Soviet Union collapse? It must be soon. I think they participated in the next Barcelona Olympics as the Commonwealth of Independent States, but without ingrained memories, the future is too hazy to know. Anyway, it’s not fun, so let’s read it quickly and move on.

「[Topic] AIDS Patient Escapes Hospital After Bribing Indian Police」

Oh my, the global village has always been dynamic.

「“American Tobacco Exports Are Immoral” U.S. Domestic “No Smoking,” Overseas “Smoke More” Threats」

Those Yankees… Jinhyuk shook his head.

I feel like a cigarette. But did I even smoke?

I didn’t, but it feels strange.

「Professional Baseball Lotte Rises to 2nd Place. Youngest Seo Jung-ryong Pitches Well」

That was shocking.

Um, were they this kind of team? Even though I wasn’t very interested in baseball in my previous life, I remember fans cursing them as ‘Loser-something.’ Seeing them doing so well, it seems they have a genius hitter and a pitcher with a hidden fastball this year.

He idly read the newspaper, then naturally covered his face with it. The smell of oil soaked into the newspaper made him feel drowsy, and his mind became hazy.

As he was relaxing under the shade of the zelkova tree that covered the porch, he heard the pattering of footsteps.

“Jinhyuk-ahhh-.”

It was Choi Mi-kyung, a child.

Children in the countryside rarely hung out together after school. One reason was that they couldn’t mingle because of their different genders, but mostly because it was a mountain village where houses weren’t close together. Jinhyuk didn’t play with the children often because he felt uncomfortable around them, even though Choi Mi-kyung lived nearby.

But why was this child here?

Choi Mi-kyung was holding an orange bucket.

“When someone calls you, you should answer!”

“Oh, welcome.”

Choi Mi-kyung, who had shouted, narrowed her eyes. Son Jinhyuk was always a strange one. ‘Welcome’? It was a word that people in the neighborhood never used. Adults on TV in Seoul greeted each other like that.

‘An old soul.’

Choi Mi-kyung pouted.

“Let’s go pick wild strawberries.”

“I can’t, because of the baby.”

“The aunt is watching the baby. I want to eat wild strawberries, but I’m scared of snakes.”

No, Choi Mi-kyung wants to eat wild strawberries, and Choi Mi-kyung is scared of snakes, so why is she telling me? Jinhyuk, unable to find a logical connection, just blinked, not understanding.

He had heard that conversations with women were difficult, but Jinhyuk, who had hardly ever talked to women or had any memories of it, was at a loss. His in-depth conversations were limited to work-related topics, and the only human conversations he had were when he listened to the drunken ramblings of Hong Su-jeong. Even then, he mostly just listened silently.

Even though he had eaten with the adult Choi Mi-kyung a few times, she had been reserved then, so her current behavior was unfamiliar.

‘Did I do something wrong?’

Jinhyuk felt wronged.

But he couldn’t grab a child by the collar and argue about right and wrong. He didn’t have enough justification to leave. He had to protect his mother and baby from any potential danger.

“Are you going or not!”

“…Le, let’s go.”

Well, maybe I should go pick some since Mom likes wild strawberries.

He picked up a faded sky-blue bucket from the water faucet and headed to the back mountain.

Choi Mi-kyung followed at a reasonable distance.

It was indeed a neighborhood where men and women were kept separate.

*

There were a few snakes, but thankfully, they all fled at the sound of footsteps, and he only saw their tails. Janggun wagged his tail at the fleeing snakes. Why was this creature, who was so friendly to snakes, such a pain in the ass to Jinhyuk last year?

“Mi-kyung picked a lot-.”

-did you?

He automatically closed his mouth when he saw the ten-year-old girl with flushed hands and cheeks. Choi Mi-kyung had put the bucket she brought on her head, and she was munching on her plump cheeks like a squirrel, giving him a look that asked if he had a problem.

Sigh-.

Jinhyuk poured the wild strawberries he had gathered into Choi Mi-kyung’s bucket to make the amounts similar.

“Take them home and give some to your parents too.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

Choi Mi-kyung quickly closed her lips to catch the wild strawberry fragments that flew out as she spoke.

That was some impressive reflexes. Or perhaps it was a fixation on food.

Why did she even bring a bucket if she was so busy eating?

Children are unknowable creatures.

He parted ways with Choi Mi-kyung at the fork in the road.

‘That, that, that guy! He’s still eating while walking!’

Jinhyuk, being an adult, decided to let it go.

Heheheh-.

He had to feed Janggun wild strawberries one by one too.

Damn, the dog knows the taste, so he only follows if I give him one every few steps.

“Now, I’ll give these to Mom.”

*Whimper-.*

Seeing how disappointed he was, it was clear that he understood human words. Dog Louis was a Korean-speaking dog.

He carefully walked down the slope, trying not to spill any, and arrived home.

Jinhyuk washed the wild strawberries at the water faucet, and his heart felt strangely full.

His parents were happy when he caught mudfish, made sparrow skewers, and picked wild strawberries.

It was just an ordinary day.

But was it this precious?

‘It would be nice if wild strawberries grew well near the house.’

The thorns would act as a fence, and Mom, who liked wild strawberries, would be happy.

It was strange. The wild strawberry bushes, which were so resilient, would all wither and die if planted near the house. He had tried moving them with the soil to avoid damaging the roots. He had also tried adding plenty of compost, but nine out of ten would not survive.

But he was alive, and he was alive again, so Jinhyuk was pleased to know that.

After giving the clean wild strawberries to his mother, he watched his younger sister, Son Yu-jin, sleep.

‘Wow, how can she be so angelic?’

He touched her tiny fingers, compared their hand sizes, and even brought her hand to his cheek. He also smelled the baby scent coming from his sister.

He gently covered her head with his palm, worried she might be cold, and prayed in his heart.

‘Grow up healthy.’

Your brother will earn the money.

If I can’t, I’ll just secretly sell some of Dad’s land.

Even though he didn’t know the detailed future information, he knew how to make money. That was why he was able to survive on his own. He didn’t even need to memorize knowledge about land transactions.

‘Steal the personal seal, get the seal certificate and family registry, forge a power of attorney, and stamp the sales contract-.’

There was a time difference in his knowledge, so he might be wrong. He could ask a broker if he didn’t know.

Well, if you’re the ordinary son of a landowner, you secretly sell land, right?

***

Summer in the countryside was easy to get through if you avoided the sun. Even just being in the shade of a common pine tree would cool you down, and the ondol house [traditional Korean heated floor system] with mud walls maintained a comfortable temperature even during the day.

Jinhyuk liked the forest located halfway between the house and the sea.

Sitting there, he could see the stream, the sea, the reservoir, and even Gubong Mountain in the distance. The entire neighborhood was visible at a glance. Most of all, the cool breeze that blew constantly was great for cooling down.

He never skipped his runs, but he also never missed his meditation sessions under that tree.

Sitting in a lotus position and breathing calmly, he felt the smell of trees and soil cleanse his body and fill him with something invisible.

‘It’s amazing, how much better it would have been if I had known this before.’

But it probably wouldn’t have been possible. He had lived huddled in fear, never knowing when his drunken stepfather’s fist would fly, so this meditation was something that could only be done when peace of mind came first.

A strong gust of wind blew. The air that filled his lungs with a single breath was overwhelming. His lungs swelled, and the life force of the forest filled his entire body. The mix of pine resin and all sorts of plant scents made his mind even more peaceful.

‘Mmm, smell-.’

Heheheh-.

Janggun seemed to enjoy meditation too.

He was indeed a smart dog.

***

Jinhyuk’s summer vacation was special.

Thanks to his father’s consideration, his mother had been resting at home for over a month, taking care of the baby. Even then, Jinhyuk was in charge of his younger sister, Yu-jin, so it was no exaggeration to say that his mother received better service than any modern postpartum care center.

“Mom, please eat.”

*Slurp-.*

His mother’s eyes widened as she tasted the seaweed soup with beef.

“Oh my, did our Jinhyuk really make this?”

“Yes. I must have inherited Mom’s knack for cooking.”

That’s a lie, Mother.

In his previous life, he had lived alone for 25 years after becoming an adult. Tired of eating out, he often cooked for himself, so even in this young body, cooking wasn’t difficult. Both exercise and cooking were things his body remembered.

“School will start soon, and our son hasn’t even had a chance to play.”

His mother looked genuinely apologetic.

Whenever his mother went to wash or use the bathroom, Jinhyuk always stayed by the baby’s side.

He had heard the old people in the neighborhood talk about wildcats and weasels biting the necks of nursing babies. Of course, that was an old story, and even in the town, there were cars and many people, but in the countryside, there were many wildcats and weasels. Jinhyuk closely guarded his younger sister, worried that these vicious creatures might smell the baby and attack.

“Playing with the baby is the most fun.”

Jinhyuk smiled as he held his younger sister, Yu-jin, who was now two months old. His younger sister, looking up at her brother and moving her mouth, was so adorable.

“Ooh-roo- A-koong-!”

“Coo-ing coo-ing-.”

She didn’t laugh yet when he played peek-a-boo, but she seemed to recognize her brother and babble something. She would move her eyebrows and widen her eyes while making eye contact with her brother.

Jinhyuk thought that he might have been happy if he had gotten married in his previous life. He didn’t know he loved babies this much until his younger sister was born.

Before coming to the past, Jinhyuk had been at a crossroads regarding marriage.

‘The chairman’s daughter.’

She must be about five years old now?

She was five years younger than Jinhyuk and his direct superior. She must be doing well somewhere in Seoul now.

‘I probably won’t have a connection with her in this life.’

The daughter of a conglomerate chairman. She was someone in a position that Jinhyuk would never meet unless he deliberately sought her out. Even if he did, she would never meet him. Thinking of her, ten-year-old Jinhyuk’s heart fluttered for no reason. She was the only woman who had ever made Jinhyuk, who had lived fiercely without any tears, friends, or emotions, feel a flutter in his heart.

‘Now that I think about it, her actions were cute.’

The Great Sorceress. That was her nickname because she always frowned as if she was menstruating 365 days a year. She had been appointed to a core affiliate to receive training as the group’s successor early on. With her outstanding intellect and drive, she had taken control of the group, and no one doubted that she would become the owner of the group. Of course, the fact that there was a person named Son Jinhyuk behind her would remain unknown to the world forever.

He was living, forming new relationships with people from the past.

The people of the future only existed in Jinhyuk’s memories.

Future information didn’t matter at all.

If someone like him existed, let them succeed to their heart’s content.

What was precious to Jinhyuk was people.

‘But if we happen to meet by chance….’

I’ll be good to you.

“Hmm-ahhh-.”

Yu-jin yawned, raising her hand covered in a mitten.

He thought she looked like a crab.