The Genius Decided To Live An Ordinary Life [EN]: Chapter 150

< Summer Camp of Turmoil (2) >

***

Monday.

The little brats have arrived.

I don’t intend to disparage or ignore them.

Janggun is a politically correct dog, so he avoids expressions that are discriminatory or hateful. However, as a dog, there aren’t many other suitable ways to express it.

Anyway, those little X-ers were like Son Wangwang’s subordinates.

The little X-ers petted and touched Hongsi, Cheonma, and Gwangma, leaving a lot of their impure scent on them.

Well, I have no complaints.

After all, a dog is a beast that assimilates and grows by getting human scent on it.

Thanks to those X-ers, I got to eat a lot of delicious things last night.

It was very tasty, was it called eel?

It means a long fish.

Janggun is a smart dog, so he knows that too.

Anyway, my subordinate dogs are also happy to have more people to play with, so it’s a welcome thing.

Hhe-heck-.

Janggun stuck his tongue out long and panted.

It’s the peak of summer, and even though the sun has just risen, the air is scorching.

‘Janggun, are you thirsty?’

Son Aeng-aeng [A playful way of saying ‘Son’ with a dog-like sound] dragged the hose and rinsed the water bowl before filling it with fresh water.

As expected of my kind and friendly subordinate.

He takes care of the boss’s thirst first.

Cheonma and Gwangma lap up water from anywhere, but Janggun and Hongsi, as dogs with principles, don’t carelessly wag their tongues. So, they only drink the water given by Mr. Son Meong-meong’s [Another playful way of saying ‘Son’ with a dog-like sound] family.

Chop-chop-.

Ugh, it’s so clean and cool that it could cure non-existent kidney failure.

Woof-!

You dogs, drink water!

Janggun is a good dog, so he takes care of his subordinates too.

That aside.

It’s suspicious that Son Wangwang [A playful way of saying ‘Son’ with a dog-like sound] suddenly brought his subordinates.

Grrr-.

If there are four on that side and four on this side, isn’t it ultimately a preparation for war?

In fancy words, it seems like Grandpa Cheon Ong-ong [A playful way of saying ‘Cheon’ with a dog-like sound] would call it a ‘face-off’.

Janggun is a smart dog, so he can make such predictions.

Kehe-heck-.

‘How pathetic.’

To dare challenge Janggun and his subordinates.

Even the Dosa dog Jjamp [Dosa dog refers to a type of Korean fighting dog] was defeated by Cheonma and Gwangma’s combined attack.

Those guys with only two legs dare to encroach on Janggun’s territory?

They don’t even have tails on their butts.

I found out after closely observing them peeing in the compost pile after dinner last night.

Strangely, they only had short ones in the front.

It reminded me of Gwangma’s bitten-off tail.

If so, they must be as foolish and docile as Gwangma.

Woof-.

Let’s see….

What should I do to teach those guys about Janggun’s authority?

Just then, they came out, waddling.

Watching Son Wangwang stretch, Janggun recalled what happened last night.

– ‘It would be helpful for training if our Janggun was a fierce dog.’

Hhe-heck-.

That’s a good idea!

I’ll beat you in the event you’re confident in!

Janggun is a generous dog, so he can show such magnanimity.

Again, it’s not about loyalty or cooperation with Son Wangwang.

It’s to teach them the logic of the survival of the fittest.

Woof-.

Hey, gather around here. You dogs.

Janggun called his subordinates together.

***

The first morning of summer camp dawned.

Maximizing strengths and compensating for weaknesses are important, but the most important thing is basic physical fitness.

Jin-hyuk planned a moderate-intensity physical training program to ensure his friends’ healthy bodies and release their overflowing energy.

‘I do this every day, so they should be able to handle it without any trouble.’

The track and field friends, who hadn’t even rubbed the sleep from their eyes, wore blissful expressions as soon as they came outside.

They were captivated by the sight of the pot steaming in the yard and the smell of cooking rice, which captivated their five internal organs with its savory magic.

But it was only for a moment.

Beep-!

‘Don’t get distracted, keep an arm’s length apart!’

Moon Seok-il, wearing the red hat Jin-hyuk had given him, blew his whistle.

‘National military exercises—no, I mean, let’s start the national gymnastics!’

Beep-!

The importance of warm-up exercises cannot be emphasized enough. It prevents muscle shock, prevents joint injuries, and stimulates growth plates… Well, it’s all common knowledge.

Besides, morning exercises had the effect of stimulating appetite and clearing the mind. Even without listing such facts, the children, who had been exercising for many years, reflexively swung their arms and legs.

When the middle schoolers started the national gymnastics, Kim In-rang and Kang Heon-chang joined in.

‘One, two, three, four-.’

After finishing the national gymnastics, each person did individual stretching and light partner training, following the rhythm.

‘Ugh-ugh-ugh- So refreshing-.’

‘Aaaah-! Jo Seul-ah! My back, my back!’

‘President, you’re heavy…’

Everyone has a dream they call a future aspiration, a romance they dream of, and a small daily life they long for. However, those should be enjoyed as bonuses while achieving short-term or long-term goals, or in the process of achieving them. Especially for those who have a job and a task at hand.

‘Okay, let’s do knee rotations-.’

The guys who knew how to concentrate their boiling energy and unleash it, the middle schoolers who were used to a long life as athletes, didn’t complain about the disappearance of their dream vacation. After all, they had participated in the training camp and even filled out consent forms from their parents and students.

‘Ankle exercises-.’

They just hoped that the schedule that had made them doubt their eyes last night wasn’t true.

But as someone said, sad premonitions always come true.

When they finished the ankle exercises, Moon Seok-il stuck out his lower jaw and made a sound that was a perfect mix of tenor vocals and machine sounds. He was completely possessed by his role as the red-hatted assistant.

‘Before breakfast, it’s a round trip run to Gubong Mountain-. Reach the top and come down-. The last one gets no food-. Start!’

Beep-!

As the whistle blew, Jin-hyuk started running lightly.

‘Uh-oh-.’

This is a disaster.

Thinking that the schedule must have been true, Yeom Byeong-taek hurriedly followed Jin-hyuk.

The kind follower, Jo Seul-chan, also quickly stuck to Yeom Byeong-taek’s back. He knew well that it would be difficult to close the gap if he fell behind in the beginning.

Left alone, Park Sang-gi muttered, unconcerned by Moon Seok-il’s piercing gaze.

‘Damn it…’

‘Hey-, what are you saying-.’

‘-Taek-ah, let’s go together…’

There are few things as frightening as being left alone while living in a group.

Park Sang-gi remembered last fall when he was left behind at the training camp due to thigh muscle pain. The loneliness was terrible, but the silence was also a considerable fear. And it was also a chore to answer all the questions from his returning teammates.

‘This doesn’t feel good…’

I haven’t even had my morning poop yet.

Pffft-.

Park Sang-gi, making a sulky face, started, and Kim In-rang and Kang Heon-chang ran behind him, supporting him.

When all six of them had passed the hill.

‘Start-!’

With Yoo-jin sitting on the rice bike’s carrier, Min Yong-rak also started.

And….

Woof woof woof-!

Grrr-! Bark bark! Growl-!

Under Janggun’s command, three large dogs barked fiercely and chased after Park Sang-gi.

With sharp teeth bared, dripping saliva.

Grrr-! Bark bark bark-!

How could the guys who were so docile and friendly yesterday turn into ferocious dogs?

Park Sang-gi quickly moved into second place.

‘Aaaah! The president’s dogs must have gotten heatstroke!’

It was the first time.

That the taciturn and quiet Park Sang-gi had shouted so loudly.

***

Han Yoo-young was busy going back and forth between the kitchen and the yard.

Her son had asked her for a favor for the first time, and she couldn’t ignore it.

It was an opportunity to show off her mother’s cooking skills and utilize the food and nutrition knowledge she had gained while attending broadcasting university.

‘Since they’re athletes, they’ll eat a lot, right?’

‘Of course. They’re at an age where they can digest even rocks.’

Jang Jin-nam, who enjoyed cooking, helped the busy Han Yoo-young.

‘I’m so glad you’re helping me. If I had done it alone, I would have been more tired than the athletes.’

‘It’s nothing. It’s good to prepare together like this and share with the staff.’

‘But I don’t know if this diet is right.’

‘It seems very well-balanced.’

Jang Jin-nam nodded, looking at the diet plan Han Yoo-young was holding.

Nevertheless, Han Yoo-young’s expression lacked confidence. Although she had a chef’s license, she wondered if she could trust Jang Jin-nam, who only said positive things.

‘At that age, quantity is more important than nutrients. I think it’s okay as long as there isn’t a specific nutrient deficiency.’

‘Yes. I’ll trust your words and do it this way.’

Still, she couldn’t ignore the opinion of Jang Jin-nam, who could be considered an expert. Han Yoo-young just thought it was a relief that she wasn’t wrong.

Baby babbling could be heard through the open living room door.

‘Aebuu-.’

‘Oh my-, is our Jeong-won hungry?’

For Jeong-won, who was still craving breast milk even though she was over a year old, Han Yoo-young quickly turned back to the house. She was just proud of her toddler, who called for her mother politely without fussing.

While Han Yoo-young was away for a moment, Jang Jin-nam puffed up his cheeks while looking over the diet plan.

As basic side dishes, there were fried eggs and rolled omelets, seasoned bean sprouts, seasoned bellflower roots, seasoned cucumbers, young radish kimchi, fried tofu, braised beef, and so on. There were so many items that even Jang Jin-nam, who had a good memory, couldn’t memorize them all.

On top of that, there was beef bone soup, beef seaweed soup, samgyetang [Korean ginseng chicken soup], grilled eel, pork belly, and bulgogi [Korean marinated beef]….

The menu was full of dishes that made one’s mouth water and gave one strength.

Jang Jin-nam, letting out a puff of air, turned his head to Moon Seok-il, who was squatting by the faucet, trimming bellflower roots.

‘Are they trying to remodel the human body?’

‘That…’

Moon Seok-il pushed up his drooping sunglasses with the back of his hand.

My legs are killing me, and that guy is saying something terrible, did he get heatstroke?

‘It must be a constitution improvement.’

***

Son Yoo-jin was excited.

She had ridden her bike around the neighborhood with Min Yong-rak many times before the vacation, but it was rare for her to ride so fast as today.

Son Yoo-jin was a child who enjoyed speed, but Min Yong-rak had always ridden his bike slowly, saying it was dangerous. But today, Min Yong-rak was pedaling like crazy. The sound of his breathing was similar to that of Myung Hyun-woo riding an indoor bike at the gym.

‘Hee-hee-hee- Yoo-jin! Hehehe-heck- Hold on tight- Kkeueueueue-.’

‘I’m so excited-!’

Whether Min Yong-rak was panting or not, Son Yoo-jin, sitting behind the rice bike, enjoyed the refreshing breeze.

She even had a safety belt made of a black rubber band cut from a bicycle tube around her waist.

Her older brothers were running, and Uncle Min Yong-rak had to record things and take pictures. That’s why she was going along.

Anyway, for Son Yoo-jin, it was the start of a festival.

Her older brother always went to exercise alone before Son Yoo-jin woke up, and he went to the mountains alone after school. So, in the morning, Son Yoo-jin had to play with Cheonma and Gwangma in the yard.

‘Finally, I’m going to the mountains!’

She couldn’t go up the mountain, but it was something that she could follow to the entrance.

Uncle Min Yong-rak was slower than her running older brothers, so the bike started to fall behind.

‘Uh-oh-, this won’t do! Cheer up!’

Son Yoo-jin encouraged him, hitting the steel bar installed like a partition between the driver’s seat and the carrier.

‘Oh, I’m going to die.’

‘You won’t die that easily!’

She didn’t spare her warm words of encouragement.

If she could reach him, she would give him some strength, but the tall partition was blocking them. All Son Yoo-jin could do was watch Uncle Min Yong-rak’s butt, which was bouncing up and down as he pedaled without even sitting on the seat.

‘Uncle, don’t give me a fart snack.’

‘Hahaha-! Don’t be funny, I’m tired-.’

Min Yong-rak finally burst into tears.

If it wasn’t for Jin-hyuk’s request, he would be enjoying a late sleep, so what was this hardship? His thighs hurt, and his heart felt like it was about to explode. The cheeky little kid behind him kept saying things that made him lose his strength.

‘How can they run so fast!’

Son Jin-hyuk was one thing, but were they like that because they were athletes? It seemed that by the time they were in the third year of middle school, their physiques were comparable to adults.

Min Yong-rak gritted his teeth and put his weight on the pedals, pulling up the strength he had left.

He thought he should buy a scooter.

***

The track and field team members were going crazy.

The radiant heat and humid weather, the heat rising from the asphalt, were to be expected in summer.

‘Don’t drag your feet, you guys!’

There were scary uncles in red hats yelling from behind.

‘Sparrow-! Why aren’t the older brothers chirping?’

There was a cluelessly cheerful kindergartener sitting on the back of a bicycle, wearing a wide-brimmed princess hat.

Grrr-! Bark bark-!

And even the ferocious dogs that would attack if they fell behind.

It was truly a chaotic party.

Janggun and his subordinate dogs, like a pack of wolves herding prey that had fallen out of the group, made a snapping sound with their teeth at the heels of the lagging athletes.

Thanks to that, Jo Seul-chan and Park Sang-gi had to alternate their rankings. It wasn’t intentional, but it naturally happened as they were chased by the dogs. Son Jin-hyuk and Yeom Byeong-taek were guys who couldn’t be overtaken in the first place.

‘Aaaah-! What kind of training is this-!’

‘Jin-hyuk! Are you trying to send us to North Korea?’

‘Girlfriend…, morning call…, I need to poop.’

They were sprinters, so why did they have to run a marathon? That was all that was on the kids’ minds. And it wasn’t just any marathon. They were running at a speed that would be a full sprint for 1 kilometer. If they were to measure their time now, their 1-kilometer time would be under 3 minutes.

‘Shut your mouths and run, you guys!’

They couldn’t slack off because of the scary uncles who were following closely behind. They were not only physically imposing but also had good stamina and running power. Why were there such scary coaches at Jin-hyuk’s house?

The kids would rather see Mr. Lee Byeong-se, who was like a gangster.

***

‘Yoo-jin, you stay here and play with your uncle.’

‘I can’t go up because I’m a kid.’

Having reached the entrance of the hiking trail and taken a breath, Jin-hyuk left Min Yong-rak and Yoo-jin behind and took the lead again.

While those monsters went to the top of the mountain, Min Yong-rak was to record the time it took to run here and check the time it took to go up and down the mountain.

‘Haaah-, I’m tired. Let’s see… It took eighteen minutes to get here?’

‘Don’t swear.’

‘Sorry.’

While Min Yong-rak and Yoo-jin were chatting in the shade at the entrance of the mountain, the track and field team was still climbing the mountain, chased by the uncles and the pack of dogs.

About halfway up, a change came over the mentality of the kids who were panting as they climbed Gubong Mountain.

‘Aaaah-, Grandma, I was wrong-. I’ll be a good son-.’

Jo Seul-chan made a sudden confession and vowed to be a good son.

‘Jin-hyuk! Kim Yang noona! I!’

Yeom Byeong-taek seemed to be proposing an inappropriate deal.

‘……Last place……no food.’

Well, Park Sang-gi seemed to be okay still.

Even if he wasn’t okay, there was nothing else he could do.

There were only rice paddies and fields around, so where could they run away?

Hehehe-.

Jin-hyuk, running in the lead, was more energetic than usual.

‘It’s fun to climb with my friends.’

Ehehe-.

Son Jin-hyuk’s smiling face was as bright as the sunny weather.

But it wasn’t just for his own enjoyment, it was training for his friends.

Before the vacation, Jin-hyuk had called Mr. Kim Young-tae to ask about teaching methods.

He thought it might be helpful since he was the teacher the kids followed and liked the most.

– ‘I’m not a fan of the whip. First of all, it has to be fun for the kids to follow. Carrots are important.’

He thought it was a plausible statement.

‘I have to give them carrots.’

Tuk-.

Jin-hyuk, glancing at Yeom Byeong-taek, who was following in second place, took out a sports drink from the bag on his back and placed it on a nearby rock.

Carrots are hard to chew while running, and they could choke while swallowing.