The Genius Decided To Live An Ordinary Life [EN]: Chapter 166

< Last Festival (4) >

Some people envy and are jealous of those who are successful.

Even though they are ultimately no different from themselves, they are consumed by inferiority, engaging in baseless schemes and spewing curses.

Fortunately, Yeom Byeongtaek, who was mature for his age, was not such a teenager.

‘Yeom Byeongi is a real gem. That’s why I keep being friends with him.’

‘……Yeah. He’s mature.’

Even without Jo Seulchan and Park Sanggi’s testimonies, anyone would feel the same.

He was pushed aside by Park Jibeom in elementary school, and in middle school, where he had always been the ace, he naturally gave his place to Son Jinhyuk. Perhaps Yeom Byeongtaek had realized his fate as the second-in-command and accepted it willingly.

‘Mature, my foot. My mom says you shouldn’t be greedy beyond your means. The fool who lived in her hometown almost went blind from staring at the sun.’

Having recognized and experienced his position early on, there was no room for emotional wounds or deprivation in Yeom Byeongtaek’s heart.

Of course, it wasn’t a voluntary concession.

He had simply accepted the results after doing his best.

‘What can you do if the results are like that even after trying so hard?’

A record competition that is not influenced by any logic of power, and where no one can raise an objection. Who would dare to challenge the publicly recognized numbers and argue about right and wrong?

Before the 100m final, the friends occupying the bench were dissolving their tension with chatter.

‘Yeom Byeong, you know, knowing someone who runs like that is something to be really proud of.’

‘That’s right. Who knows? Maybe one day when Jinhyuk becomes a national athlete, I’ll be able to brag that I was on the same team as him.’

‘Oh…… A national athlete.’

Park Sanggi, who had been relaxing by tapping the ground with his toes while sitting, rounded his mouth.

There was a classmate who bragged that his cousin’s boyfriend’s brother was getting private lessons from a student at Korea University. Perhaps it’s a natural human psychology to boast and brag if there’s any opportunity. Although his relationship with Son Jinhyuk was short, if it turned out as Jo Seulchan said, it would be a great thing to brag about.

‘Still, it’s a shame for Yeom Byeong. If he had been a little faster in the semi-finals, he could have made it.’

In the past, Yeom Byeongtaek was a runner who would grit his teeth and run, only to be eliminated while watching the backs of other runners. But the grown-up Yeom Byeongtaek finished almost simultaneously with the 2nd and 3rd place runners in the semi-finals. That’s why it was even more of a shame.

Nevertheless, Yeom Byeongtaek was composed.

‘I still got to compete, though. Since it’s only up to two people. It’s a shame for you, Jo Seul.’

‘Hooey-, what’s there to be a shame about when I’m always eliminated in the preliminaries?’

Hehehe-.

Jo Seulchan laughed like a carefree person.

‘The teacher said that we’re from a year with a lot of people, so there are a lot of athletes too-.’

Well, it seemed to mean that there were many peers born in the same year.

This time, Yeom Byeongtaek didn’t bother to correct Jo Seulchan’s words.

It was enough if he understood.

[On your marks-.]

The highlight of individual events, the men’s 100m final, was about to begin.

The only being breathing freely was the sun.

Even if it wasn’t the scorching heat that made the sweat flowing down his sideburns feel cool, or the dry air without a single breeze, everyone held their breath.

[Set-.]

Yeom Byeongtaek looked with envious eyes at the back of the head of the number 94 runner, who was bowing down.

He had drawn lane 3 in the lottery.

According to the competition procedure, the top three record holders were assigned to lanes 3 to 5 through a lottery.

For the TaeYang Middle School kids, the lane assignment of number 94 was not a matter of concern.

They weren’t particularly curious about the rankings either.

[Bang-!]

It was an insane start reaction speed.

‘Yaaaaaah-!’

Without anyone saying anything, they clenched their fists and stood up.

Even Park Sanggi, who was usually slow to get up, joined them.

‘He’s so damn fast!’

This time, the foul signal didn’t sound either.

Even without Jo Seulchan’s shout, everyone had seen with their own eyes how fast Jinhyuk’s start was.

It wasn’t a ‘thump, thump, thump’ kind of start.

It was a ‘flutter, flutter, flutter’ like a chicken with its tail caught by a weasel, but the movements were big and refreshing. He was full of power and fast too.

‘I’m gonna piss my pants-.’

‘He’s crazy!’

‘……Ah-.’

How on earth does he do that?

At that level, it seemed like a foul, and in the preliminaries and semi-finals, there were even protests from other school coaches. The supervisors were also doubtful, so it wasn’t a baseless protest.

However, the conclusion that there were no errors in the electronic signal devices and sensors was repeated.

The fact that the competing athletes whispered that there was no problem with Jinhyuk’s start must have also influenced the decision. Even if they didn’t have the courage to interfere in the adults’ meetings, the athletes, who were the most sensitive and instinctive, had given the green light to the number one target. If the most sensitive people said it was okay, who would argue further?

[Bang-.]

Finally, number 94 crossed the finish line.

Just as Yeom Byeongtaek and Jo Seulchan were about to run out to their friend who had recreated his past glory,

A strange man with gleaming gold teeth stormed onto the track.

‘Woooaaaaaah-!’

Yesterday, he was too flustered to enjoy his first gold medal as a coach, so he was going to shout as much as he wanted today.

Get out of the way, you guys!

It was Lee Byeongse.

***

Jinhyuk’s expression was not bright.

Since he had the sensitivity to react even to Yoo Jin’s farts, he was more confident than anyone in his reaction speed to the starting gun. He had taken the lead from the beginning, and he was used to running while thinking about the pursuers behind him, so he had no doubt about winning.

But.

‘Damn it-, was it a pointless expectation? Is my body still not adjusting?’

Was it really because his legs had gotten longer, as someone had said, that the power transfer wasn’t perfect?

It was true that he had hoped that the tension of the final would turn into desperation, and that he would be able to pour out his strength to his heart’s content.

‘It’s unsettling.’

It’s like sitting on the toilet with a stomach ache that feels like it’s about to burst, only to fart. It’s a completely contradictory feeling, like trying to break a brick with a powerful punch, only to find out it’s a styrofoam brick pattern and feeling empty.

‘It was around 11 seconds.’

He couldn’t even hear Min Yongrak’s words.

Still, he couldn’t ignore the congratulations, so he shared the joy with everyone, high-fiving them.

‘I’m not the main character.’

It was enough for him that his friends were enjoying themselves. The guys who were laughing and shouting as if it were their own achievement were more precious than the gold medal.

He quenched his thirst with an ion drink from the icebox and looked forward to the afternoon.

‘It’s not over yet. Let’s take care of our condition.’

‘Yeah, yeah.’

The relay final was still left.

He had somehow reached the destination, so there was no way he could be satisfied here.

***

‘How does the president run like that?’

‘I don’t know? He’s been doing it like this since he was little……’

It was as if the two people’s way of speaking had changed.

For some reason, Park Sanggi asked clearly, but Jinhyuk couldn’t find a suitable answer and mumbled.

It was the result of always thinking about his posture, running without straining his body, and thinking about how to efficiently release his power.

If he explained this in words, it would just be words.

Because anyone can say that.

‘I think you could shorten your stride.’

It was Park Sanggi’s opinion, cautiously offered.

Since the guy who never spoke first was showing interest, Jinhyuk was also intrigued.

‘When I play soccer, I run with short steps a lot.’

Jinhyuk nodded, making eye contact with Park Sanggi.

The cases where they show off their speed as if racing against an opponent are mostly in counterattacks following long balls. In general game situations, they tend to take short strides to compete with opponents, dribble, pass, or receive passes.

‘The president’s stride is big because he has enough breath and is full of power. It’s tricky to get a breathing rhythm when running with short steps, but I can move my legs as much as I want. I’m not good at explaining it.’

Maybe not right away.

Jinhyuk thought that he should consider a way to adjust his stride and number of steps while pondering Park Sanggi’s opinion. After all, Min Yongrak was systematically recording the data for that purpose.

‘That’s a good idea. I should try to correct it slowly.’

The running style with a wide stride put a lot of weight on the front knee, while the loss of power was significant. Therefore, Jinhyuk was already taking a modified stride. But it still seemed wide in Park Sanggi’s eyes.

He was a soccer player with well-developed coordination, which is the training to move the body according to one’s will by raising the reaction speed instinctively. He thought that his insight was worth listening to.

‘The president has long legs, and his thighs and ankles are strong, so he can take wide strides, but……’

No, this punk, he’s being like this and that to someone who’s seriously thinking about it.

***

The stadium before the last game of the last day of the competition.

Conflicting emotions floated in the air.

Hundreds of athletes who had finished their preparations to leave and were watching with relief, and thirty-two athletes who were filled with tension.

The sun was hot and the air was dry, making the calendar that would soon be turned over seem insignificant.

Throughout the competition, athletes were constantly suffering from nosebleeds or dizziness.

Jinhyuk, who had put his hands on his waist to relieve the fatigue in his shoulders, looked at Min Yongrak while taking a long breath to regulate his body temperature.

‘There’s no medical team today either.’

He could only see coaches blocking the athletes’ noses with gauze soaked in cold water and putting wet towels on their foreheads or the back of their necks. There was a medical support tent, but it was empty, and there were no ambulances nearby.

‘Should there be one?’

Min Yongrak tilted his head while making a note in his notebook.

‘Wouldn’t it be better to have it as a requirement? It’s a matter of life and death.’

The weather itself was painful, so he had to frown even when having a normal conversation. Jinhyuk tried not to make each word sound unpleasant.

‘I heard that all developed countries do that. It would be good if the SI Foundation also hired medical professionals. You never know when an accident might happen.’

Even the healthiest person can suffer a heart attack, which can cut off the blood supply to the brain, leading to lifelong disabilities or death.

He remembered that such incidents had occurred in soccer and baseball, causing a stir in the world. They talked about professional sports and national sports, using sweet words and packaging, but the systematic and organized support for the athletes was inadequate.

‘Yeah, the chairman will like it. She said that the more we gather and reflect the voices from the field, the more we can show that the foundation’s operation is sincere.’

‘Is it because if you operate it formally like other places, it might look like you’re just showing off your money?’

‘It’s not that, but she said that’s how you get less criticism even when you become famous.’

Jinhyuk, who laughed silently, touched his forehead.

He had asked without much thought, and he got an answer that was typical of Yoo Sera.

‘Still, Aunt- Mother did a lot of charity work and was very interested in the underprivileged.’

As before, Jinhyuk did not pay attention to the world and others in his current life. However, he didn’t have the honest desire to just eat well and live well either. He had already lived alone and had a successful life, but all that was left was the feeling that it was a truly insignificant and worthless life.

‘If I had lived and died alone like that, who would have remembered me?’

It was a life where he could have lived without regrets, but now that he was making connections and being with others, it was inevitable that his past life seemed relatively lonely.

Of course, he had to keep his mouth shut in front of his acquaintances who argued that it was because he didn’t know how to enjoy life.

‘Please, stop with the fact bombs.’

He waved his hand and scattered them, who were now just vague memories, into the heat haze. They were the ones who didn’t even offer to do anything together, but they had so much to say.

Min Yongrak, who wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, filled his notebook with letters.

‘Then, we’ll add a medical team-.’

Life is precious.

Regardless of the fact that the level of intelligence and thinking is insufficient to produce desirable results, Jinhyuk wanted to believe that most human intentions were pure. Even if reality was not like that.

That’s why he hoped that no life would be wasted in vain.

It was a belief he had consistently held from the past to the present.

‘Medical team, talent scouting manager, training manager, and what else do we need?’

Forgetting that Lee Byeongse and the kids were watching, Min Yongrak continued to ask questions while looking at the notes he had made. However, the meeting was ended by Jinhyuk’s hand, which he raised with a relaxed smile.

‘Let’s do it next time.’

Because he had to hang out with his friends who were going to burn the last of their energy.

[In a moment-, the last game of this competition, the men’s 400-meter relay final, will be held, so participating athletes, please proceed to the starting area-.]

***

The crowd, except for Lee Byeongse, Min Yongrak, and the TaeYang Middle School team, buzzed.

It was because of the number 94 runner in the blue uniform who was standing at the starting line.

It was puzzling that he was the first runner instead of the anchor.

[Lane one-.]

Was it to commemorate a successful competition? The announcer’s voice was full of energy as he introduced the teams that had advanced to the final. Or maybe it was because he was relieved that he could finally escape the hellish heat and go home.

[Lane six, TaeYang Middle School-.]

Jinhyuk, who raised his hand high, clenched his fist.

‘Waaaah-.’ ‘Clap, clap, clap-.’

Young voices and the sound of clapping. It was a meager response, but it was enough.

After all, it was a greeting sent to the young juniors.

‘Watch carefully.’

He didn’t have time to adjust his stride as Park Sanggi had advised, but he would show them a first runner they had never seen before.

He turned his head and made eye contact with the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th runners who were waiting. There was no need for words. There were things that could be understood just by looking at each other’s eyes.

[On your marks-.]

Isn’t the anchor supposed to be a specialist in the straightaway?

Absolutely not.

Even 200m is half curved.

It means that a good runner doesn’t care about the course anyway.

It’s the same principle that a really good student doesn’t care about the subject, regardless of whether they are in the humanities or sciences.

[Set-.]

If that guy even had a superhuman signal reaction speed.

[Bang-!]

It means that when other competitors raised their heads, that guy had already taken off.

Just like now.

‘Woooaaaaah-!’

Sometimes, it’s okay to hope for luck.

There are variables in every sport. The weight of the variable on the outcome of the game can be measured by whether there is time to make up for the mistake caused by the variable or not.

Then, wouldn’t the short-distance track and field, which is decided in just about 10 seconds, be the sport that is most absolutely affected by variables?

‘Try your best to catch up!’

It would be good if the competitors who were running while looking at his back would lose their pace because they were screwed, and if not, so be it. Surely, some of them would lose their breathing rhythm in their haste.

The feeling that was about to burst but didn’t, the power that was hiding and making him anxious, didn’t matter.

Because the fact that he had many memories to recall made running enjoyable for Jinhyuk.

For example, Choi Mikyung, the little girl.

‘Try to catch me!’

At the end of the gently curved track, his friend was reaching out his hand.

They had held hands and overcome the training that was more hellish than the hellish summer.

Park Sanggi, the 2nd runner, came into view.

His eyes, wide open as he looked at the ace, even had a hint of awe.

Ah, you city boy. Don’t just watch, start your engine.

‘Thud-.’

He quickly came to his senses and placed the baton deep into Park Sanggi’s hand as he ran out.

‘Run!’