The Genius Decided To Live An Ordinary Life [EN]: Chapter 132

< The Eccentric Negotiator >

***

This week, Class 1 of the 3rd grade is in charge of cleaning the restrooms.

While the class president had the privilege of being exempt from cleaning, Jin-hyuk had never skipped cleaning time since his first year. It wasn’t about setting an example as class president.

He simply felt uncomfortable being the only one excluded. Moreover, he didn’t want to see his classmates acting bossy while supervising.

As Jin-hyuk entered the restroom for cleaning, his brow furrowed deeply.

The dark restroom was filled with the pungent smell of cigarette smoke.

‘Who on earth is smoking in this sacred school!’

From the first stall by the window, giggling sounds and cigarette smoke wafted over the partitions.

Naturally, Jin-hyuk’s annoyance flared up.

He was about to stride over when.

‘Class president, hold on.’

A guy named Song Ju-won, who was cleaning with him, stopped Jin-hyuk and shook his head.

Song Ju-won pointed towards the high school building with his finger.

‘High schoolers?’

When Jin-hyuk raised his eyebrows as if asking, Song Ju-won nodded.

Well, teachers wouldn’t be giggling and smoking in the student restrooms.

*Huuu*, a long sigh escaped him uncontrollably.

‘Why are they causing trouble in the middle school when they have their own building?’

It was a very valid and reasonable anger.

To be honest, why would they catch raccoons in someone else’s house when they have their own? If they were high schoolers, they should smoke in the high school restrooms to have a sense of ownership of their school.

‘These guys have no sense of ownership.’

Jin-hyuk carefully pushed aside his friend who was blocking him and moved towards the problematic stall. Song Ju-won tried to stop him again, but there was no way to stop Jin-hyuk. There’s no way a butterfly’s wing can fight against a typhoon.

*Bang bang bang*!

Jin-hyuk’s fist banged on the door nervously, and the giggling stopped, becoming as quiet as a mouse.

But the door didn’t open.

*Oh, really?*

He knocked again.

*Bang bang bang bang bang*!

Still, there was no response.

Jin-hyuk let out a long sigh and stated his business in a low and polite tone.

‘Come out. Before I start spraying water.’

That’s when it happened.

‘Haa, you son of a bitch-.’

The door opened with a curse.

Indeed, they were students wearing navy-colored uniforms with yellow name tags, signifying Tae Yang High School. Three of them.

‘If it’s a yellow name tag, are they 2nd graders?’

He had heard that the name tag colors were different for each grade.

Since it was the same color as Choi Tae-yang, who was a 3rd grader two years ago, they must be 2nd graders.

Next to the name tag, there was a red circular badge that said ‘Prefect’.

‘Did you call us?’

Jin-hyuk had no intention of talking.

Of course, he had no intention of answering the question kindly.

‘Are you smoking in my cleaning area?’

*How dare they?*

Jin-hyuk suddenly imagined grabbing the guy’s sideburns and gently pressing his face against the wall.

Just imagining.

‘I must endure.’

If it were last year when the black dragon was rising from his heart, he would have definitely done it. But his calm heart was easily resisting the temptation of going berserk.

‘Hey, I asked if you called us-.’

Just then, the high schooler made an arrogant chin gesture.

Jin-hyuk unconsciously grabbed his chin.

*Clack*.

It was a chin with a clear and protruding shape, making it easy to grip.

If he hadn’t made that threatening chin gesture, he wouldn’t have done this. This guy was the one who provoked it.

‘Uuuuuh-.’

The guy, who was at least 18 years old, was babbling.

Wasn’t he being too dramatic? He hadn’t even grabbed his collar, fearing he might get upset.

Even though he was the one who caused the unpleasantness, he had reached a level where he was considerate of his feelings. Jin-hyuk realized that his social skills had grown surprisingly.

Anyway.

It’s not hard to use force, just hard to control it. How dare a high school punk make a chin gesture that’s only allowed for Choi Mi-kyung’s youth?

The guy, whose jaw was held and couldn’t close his mouth, had a foul smell coming from his mouth.

Jin-hyuk skipped inhaling and answered kindly.

‘Yes. I called you.’

Standing in front of the high schooler who was struggling with his jaw in his hand, Jin-hyuk also pondered for a moment.

What would be the best way to say this? A line that could convey the message to not mess around and quietly leave because he was in a bad mood.

Ah, should he just say it as it is?

But Song Ju-won stepped forward first.

He grabbed Jin-hyuk’s arm and looked at the high schoolers.

‘H-Hyungs [older brothers/seniors]. Did you come from another middle school? Don’t you know our class president’s name and face?’

The guy who was stuttering, and the other two high schoolers, rolled their eyes and looked at Jin-hyuk. He was taller and bigger than them, and since middle schoolers didn’t have name tags, they didn’t know his name. He was wearing casual clothes, so they only knew he was a 3rd grader. But why would high schoolers know a middle schooler? Of course, they had never heard of him.

But they could tell he was someone great. The way his friend was talking, and more than anything, the brute force he used to handle high schoolers like babies. Among hormone-fueled males, force was an absolute value.

In that sense, Jin-hyuk was comfortable not having to use his head and words to solve problems. He could just use a gesture, so why waste precious time negotiating? This was another name for efficiency.

Anyway, there was a clear distinction between when to use your head and when to use force, so why should he approach everything with a negotiating attitude?

‘Class president, let him go. Okay?’

‘Alright.’

At Song Ju-won’s plea, Jin-hyuk reluctantly released his grip.

Jin-hyuk was grateful to Song Ju-won. He had just used his strength and was trying to find a reason to back down.

‘If they had been caught last year, they would have been dead.’

Even if there were guys smoking in the restroom, he would just glare at them, never catching them and lecturing them or snitching to the faculty office.

It was their life to ruin.

His dissatisfaction with these high schoolers came from them polluting his cleaning area.

Jin-hyuk, having released his grip and stepped back, glared at the high schoolers with a pathetic look.

When they were at a loss for what to do, Jin-hyuk, still with an annoyed face, growled.

‘Take off your jackets.’

The high schoolers hesitated.

‘Take off your coats. Coats.’

Ignorant guys. Don’t they even know what a jacket is?

Only then did they start taking off their jackets.

*

‘Class president, is it okay?’

Song Ju-won, who was sipping a banana-flavored milk in the hallway outside the restroom, asked.

‘What do you mean?’

‘They’re high school hyungs [older brothers/seniors].’

‘What’s not okay about it?’

Just because they’re older doesn’t mean they’re all hyungs. They should act like adults to be treated like adults. Jin-hyuk muttered like Cheon Gil-ryong.

Uncle Jo Il-heon also called me hyung, you know. It’s a bit different, but anyway, he did.

*Flap-! Flap!*

There was a continuous flapping sound from the restroom.

It was the sound of the high schoolers fanning themselves with their jackets.

Even if they attacked, he wouldn’t be scared, but he felt the need to compromise appropriately.

After all, they were all energetic youths, but there was no need to cause unnecessary bloodshed. More than anything, after several conflicts, Jin-hyuk realized that he couldn’t be the type to actively use violence in unnecessary situations. So, he just ordered them to get rid of the cigarette smell.

‘Class president, are you done cleaning?’

Lee Seung-hoon and Shin Woo-sung appeared.

The wrestling club friends had come looking for Jin-hyuk because he hadn’t shown up for tutoring, and after hearing the situation, they frowned. And they stayed by their friend’s side in case of any trouble.

The high schoolers, finally with red faces and sweat on their foreheads, came out. They wouldn’t come back again because of their pride. They were looked at with pity by middle schoolers and even embarrassed, so if they came back again, they would be truly thoughtless.

Jin-hyuk, with his arms crossed, leaned against the hallway wall and stared with an emotionless gaze.

Until the red-faced high schoolers disappeared from his sight.

If they made eye contact, he was going to say something, but the high schoolers just hurried away.

*Tsk*.

‘Those kids who haven’t even dried their blood are trying to rot their bones.’

Jin-hyuk unfolded his arms and stepped away from the wall.

Lee Seung-hoon, who had been squatting and playing coin flipping with Shin Woo-sung, also stood up. He made a cheerful coin friction sound with his clasped hands.

Lee Seung-hoon held out his tightly clenched fist to Jin-hyuk.

‘Class president, wanna guess?’

‘Okay.’

Jin-hyuk casually and chicly guessed.

The coin pulled from the bottom has a different sound, you know. How dare you bet against Son Jin-hyuk, who has superhuman senses? He was feeling confident inside.

Lee Seung-hoon opened his hand and smiled like a fool.

‘Hehehe, it’s even-.’

Well, even a superhuman can be wrong sometimes. Where is there a perfect human?

Jin-hyuk took out a 100-won coin from his pocket and placed it in Lee Seung-hoon’s hand.

He didn’t like betting, but Lee Seung-hoon was a special friend.

‘Is it math today?’

‘Yeah-.’

Although it was a bit delayed, he had to tutor his friends.

Thanks to Jin-hyuk, Lee Seung-hoon and Shin Woo-sung were among the top students despite being in the sports club.

Jo Seul-chan and Yeom Byung-taek always used their fast feet to run away.

‘Haa, I can’t force them.’

Lee Seung-hoon and Shin Woo-sung had been used to it since the first grade, so now it was more like studying together than tutoring, but Jin-hyuk was always bothered by not being able to take care of Jo Seul-yi and Yeom Byung-yi.

The three big guys walked, filling the hallway, and Song Ju-won followed behind them.

Shin Woo-sung, who had injured his ear during wrestling training, took off his bandage and asked.

‘Class president, aren’t you going to run for student council president?’

‘Who would even vote for me…’

It was a rather self-deprecating tone.

But his friends seemed to think the same. They knew how much of an outsider Jin-hyuk was.

No one spoke until they returned to the classroom.

Jin-hyuk’s silent sigh filled the hallway.

*Bad guys*.

They were just filling him with hot air and wouldn’t say he would definitely get elected.

‘I’m not doing it, you bastards.’

Ah, but should he try running once?

Maybe he could do it?

What is it about elections that makes people’s hearts flutter like this?

People who jump around like mudskippers during elections must have been hit by this kind of high.

Election high.

***

Looking at Yu-jin, who is in kindergarten, and Jung-won, who is crawling around, Jin-hyuk still feels like he’s dreaming.

‘I should be used to it by now.’

He vaguely remembers the stories of lottery winners he saw on the news.

Many people, unable to believe that their dream of a windfall had come true, lost their sense of reality and spent lavishly, only to become beggars again.

‘Even if it’s a dream, I won’t live lavishly.’

It was a resolution to cherish every moment.

Jin-hyuk slyly pinched his thigh. He was holding Jung-won in one arm.

He smiled contentedly at the pain rising from his thigh and started doing the *dung-gae dung-gae* [a playful bouncing motion with a baby].

‘Aww, how can you be so handsome-.’

Seeing that the little guy had grown so much, breast milk must be good. The little guy, who wasn’t even a year old yet, was so robust that his mother was already struggling to hold him.

But since Jin-hyuk’s body had grown and he was stronger, he could do it much more easily than when Yu-jin was a baby.

‘Ogu ogu [a cute sound], my baby. Shall we have a deep conversation, hyung [older brother]?’

‘Aeu-?’

What is this old man saying?

The baby’s sparkling eyes seemed to say so, and Jin-hyuk smiled like a fool.

‘The World Cup is being held in the United States this year. How do you see our country’s chances?’

‘Uuuu-.’

*Chop chop chop*.

Jung-won slapped his brother’s mouth with his tiny hand.

‘Ouch, ouch-.’

Does it mean not to get ahead of himself?

Anyway, seeing him make a sound similar to booing, Jung-won also seemed pessimistic about the World Cup team’s performance.

‘I can only think of Seo Jung-won’s uppercut.’

Jin-hyuk hadn’t watched a single game properly. The reason was obvious.

Some game results would be about discussing lethargy, and some games would be praised as a good fight even in defeat. The media’s reaction was obvious.

How easy it is to analyze and evaluate after the results are out.

‘Will Jung-won become a soccer player when he grows up?’

‘Uuuu-.’

Does he not want to?

Jung-won, whose eyes were focused in the middle, made his lips into a trumpet and gave an even bigger boo. It looked like his face when he was pooping.

He had experienced it when Yu-jin was a baby, who was already seven years old, but he ended up having all sorts of conversations with babies. They wouldn’t understand what he was saying, but their eyebrows twitching and their eyes sparkling were so cute that he couldn’t help but say more.

Jung-won also seemed to enjoy talking with his brother, reacting his best whenever Jin-hyuk said something.

Jin-hyuk held Jung-won and toured the living room.

Passing by the flowerpot display where his dad’s precious clivia and his mom’s favorite succulents were.

‘Uh-uh, you can’t cut the leaves-.’

He also looked at the fish tank with bubbles rising.

Jung-won even put his hand in the fish tank filled with native fish such as bullheads and minnows.

‘Ew, it’s dirty-.’

Jin-hyuk lifted the baby high and made eye contact.

‘Aww, my baby. Would our Jung-won like it if hyung [older brother] became the student council president?’

‘Aea-.’

Jung-won spread his arms wide like wings, but Jin-hyuk couldn’t understand him.

What on earth is he saying…

But.

Jung-won’s reaction was understandable, but the atmosphere in the house suddenly became strange.

His mom, who was patting Yu-jin’s head, and his dad, who was drinking yuja tea [citron tea], were also just rolling their eyes and seemed to be deliberately avoiding talking.

‘Ah, maybe.’

Jin-hyuk realized he had made a slip of the tongue.

They wanted to brag about their son, but they were holding back because they thought he might feel burdened.

His dad had bragged to Hong Ki-joon for days when he won a gold medal in the track and field competition in the 6th grade of elementary school. The gold medal he won then had its plating peeled off because his mom polished it every day. But seeing that they weren’t telling him what to do, it must be because they didn’t want to burden their son.

*Ahem*.

Jin-hyuk turned towards his parents and cleared his throat.

‘Mother, Father.’

‘Uuuuugh-!’

‘Kyaaaaak-!’

It was a reaction close to a competition.

Without anyone saying anything first, his parents simultaneously cringed. Jin-hyuk did the same.

‘Ugh, I got goosebumps.’

Goosebumps like chicken Johnsons rose on his arms.

‘Don’t do it-.’

His mom, with a tearful face, pleaded.

Seeing that, Yu-jin clapped and giggled.

Even though he was a big son, was he still a young son in his parents’ eyes? It seemed like he should keep calling them mom and dad.

Jin-hyuk sighed and asked.

‘Mom, would it be good if I ran for student council president?’

‘Well, what good would it be for mom… I’d just be called the president’s mom. Ahem!’

It seemed like she put an emphasis on ‘president’s mom’ with a subtle difference.

‘What about you, Dad?’

‘No, I’m just thinking about putting an elevator in the school or something…’

Son Kwang-yeon said that while wiping the dust-free living room floor with his palm.

But why would you put an elevator in a 3-story building?

Wait, an elevator…

Jin-hyuk’s eyes suddenly became squinty.