The Genius Decided To Live An Ordinary Life [EN]: Chapter 195

Slightly displeased, Choi Mikyung’s voice trembled thinly.

“Did Grandpa tell you that too?”

“Uh-huh! And what Oppa told me too-”

Yoojin nodded her head vigorously, as if she was excited about something.

‘Indeed, she’s definitely as clueless as her brother.’

It ended up being an unintentional harsh remark, but neither Cheon Gilyong nor Jinhyuk had explained it with Choi Mikyung in mind, and Yoojin’s words weren’t aimed at Choi Mikyung either.

However, it seemed the listener didn’t see it that way.

“Hey! Son Jinhyuk! Are you just going to bury yourself in books all day!”

Bbaek-!

The harsh words flew like sparks, landing on the innocent Jinhyuk.

“Uhh-! Opp, Oppa-”

Hodadak-.

Startled by Choi Mikyung’s sudden change, Yoojin scurried on all fours behind Jinhyuk’s back.

“Okay, okay, I’m done. Yoojin, it’s okay. It’s okay.”

He felt wronged, but he couldn’t fight with his friend in someone else’s house.

Jinhyuk obediently answered, hoping his friend’s anger would subside, while patting his sobbing younger sister’s bottom, who didn’t know what was going on.

‘Let’s hurry up and go.’

This is why I hate other people’s houses. It’s so stressful having to watch my step.

Having lived a life of watching his step, he didn’t want his younger sister to be in such a situation.

Choi Mikyung, the teenager, cautiously approached, realizing her mistake when she saw Yoojin peeking out from behind her brother’s back.

“Yoojin-. What did unnie [older sister] say? It wasn’t about you-”

“Heeheeheeing-”

But Yoojin only hid further behind her brother’s back.

Choi Mikyung, frustrated by this, revealed her temper as it was.

“Yoojin, are you going to be like this to your unnie!”

“Waaaaaah-!”

Yoojin finally burst into tears.

Jinhyuk had to put aside his work and soothe his younger sister first.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. That unnie likes our Yoojin. She didn’t mean it.”

‘No, but the more I think about it… the more it pisses me off?’

Jinhyuk glared and sent a silent curse.

‘Choi Mikyung, you, you little punk! Why are you picking on my precious little sister for no reason?’

“Yoojin, don’t cry. Unnie is sorry. Okay?”

Choi Mikyung, flinching at Jinhyuk’s glare, hugged and comforted Yoojin.

She had forgotten for a moment because of her smart talk. That she was a baby who had just graduated from kindergarten.

Tung! Tung-!

Choi Taeyang thumped the living room floor with his fist and chuckled. He was amused that Choi Mikyung had been outsmarted by Yoojin, and he found Son Yoojin, who was scared of her unnie, cute.

Even that looked annoying to Jinhyuk.

‘My sister is crying, and you’re laughing?’

It’s winter and school break, I should just neuter him.

*

Choi Taeyang, who had received glares from Choi Mikyung and Jinhyuk, stepped up to soothe Yoojin.

Heeheeheek-.

He sat Yoojin, who was still sobbing, on his lap and started reading her a traditional fairy tale.

“…Heungbu-, chased away the snake with a stick. But- oh no! A baby swallow fell to the ground-”

Choi Taeyang seemed like he would be good at taking care of children when he got married later.

His sincerity was evident in the way he kept reading, whether Yoojin was dozing off or not. As expected, he’s exceptionally good at physical tasks.

Jinhyuk slowly packed his books while listening to the story of Heungbu and Nolbu being read by a strongman.

‘They said they’d give Yoojin her textbooks on the entrance ceremony day, right?’

It would be nice to pack his sister’s books too.

Are they still using ‘Right Living’ and ‘Wise Living’ these days?

“Heungbu, you rascal! Tell me the truth! How did you become rich!”

Yoojin, who had woken up from her nap, was startled by Choi Taeyang’s excellent storytelling and shouted.

“Park seed! Park-seed, Park-seed!”

“That’s right. Yoojin is so smart.”

She didn’t just curse, did she? Choi Taeyang stroked Yoojin’s head with his thick hand.

Yoojin’s eyelids closed again.

“Squeak, squeak, they sawed away-. Nolbu and Nolbu’s wife were excited as they pushed and pulled the saw-”

Kaaa-.

Choi Mikyung, who was lying on the living room floor drooling, and Son Yoojin, who was nodding on Choi Taeyang’s lap, didn’t seem interested in Nolbu.

Uhaam-.

Jinhyuk yawned, but he endured it with superhuman willpower. He still had two more books to pack.

“…Nolbu, who had repented his wrongdoings, went to find Heungbu… Heungbu and Nolbu lived happily ever after-. The end-”

“Uwaah-!”

‘I feel it every time, but Yoojin’s appearance definitely resembles her mother, and her actions and personality resemble her father.’

She opens her eyes wide as soon as Choi Taeyang finishes reading.

‘That’s just like Dad.’

Son Kwangyeon would fall asleep in the living room with the TV on, and if someone turned it off, he would wake up like a ghost. As if the remote’s power button was his wake-up button.

“Hyung [older brother], but-”

Yoojin stretched out her right arm and put it to her ear.

That meant she had a question.

“What kind of Park seed did the snake that Heungbu helped bring?”

The question was a bit strange, but no one tried to correct her, fearing Yoojin would get upset again. Choi Mikyung, the teenager who was sprawled on the living room floor drooling, probably couldn’t even if she wanted to. If that Choi Mikyung sea squirt was awake, she would have definitely pointed it out.

“Hmm-, what kind of Park seed could it be?”

Choi Taeyang pondered, holding his chin.

Jinhyuk also pondered while finishing up his work. He thought that children’s ideas were indeed fresh. Who would ever think of checking the origin of the Park seed? Is she asking about the variety, not the origin? Or the clan? Miryang Park clan?

When the answer was delayed, Yoojin shook Choi Taeyang’s knee.

“What clan is it from-”

At that moment, Choi Taeyang slapped his knee.

“Since it was brought back from Gangnam, it must be from Gangnam!”

“Where is Gangnam?”

“Seo-”

“It’s not there.”

Jinhyuk quickly interrupted Choi Taeyang, who was about to give the wrong information.

“It’s not?”

“It’s not.”

Jinhyuk glared, as if to say he wouldn’t tolerate any more false information.

“Absolutely not.”

“Oppa, then where is it?”

“Yeah. Where is Gangnam, Jinhyuk?”

It was definitely not in Seoul.

But he couldn’t remember.

It felt like his brain, which had been spinning faster than the Earth’s rotation, had stopped.

‘I’m going crazy.’

***

As you get older, your brain’s processing speed slows down, and time definitely flies by faster.

Maybe the speed of time is increasing, making our brain’s processing speed feel relatively slower. Or maybe not.

Anyway.

That long winter break disappeared like a lie.

Since they had their own businesses and families to take care of, Hong Gijun and Son Kwangyeon couldn’t hang out like they used to. But their longing for each other remained unchanged.

“Hey, you. The employees should be doing the work, not you. Come hang out, will you?”

– Okay. I’ll visit often.

Even if it’s just words, it’s good to have a friend who answers like that.

They live far apart, but they can live with the hope that they can see each other anytime.

“Where did I put it?”

Son Kwangyeon, who had finished the call, rummaged through his briefcase.

He had scolded Hong Gijun for not visiting often, but Son Kwangyeon was just as busy.

He was in charge of everything from the production, processing, and distribution of agricultural products, feed, and fertilizers, as well as microbial research and material development, so he was busy checking everything.

“Here it is-. Jinhyuk, does this material test report look like it’s done properly to you?”

Son Kwangyeon, who had presented the report on the table, watched Jinhyuk’s reaction like a model student who had finished submitting his answer sheet.

Jinhyuk, who glanced at his father and the report once each, moved his hands busily. Taking care of Jungwon, who was wriggling on the chair, was his priority.

“Just a moment. I need to change Jungwon’s diaper first.”

Concentrating in class was enough for schoolwork.

He was ahead of the teachers, so he studied alone, and after finishing his studies early, he studied the high school curriculum.

He always seemed to be exercising or playing with his siblings, but Jinhyuk spent the second most time after exercising talking about business with his father. Especially during school breaks, that time was even longer. It was natural since he spent more time at home.

For Jinhyuk, the trivial stories with people he had never experienced before were new and special. That was why business-related conversations, which were boring and had become old knowledge, were not special at all for Jinhyuk.

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust his father, but he was just putting their heads together to minimize the chances of mistakes or failures. Because if this father succeeded, he could focus on his daily life, and his siblings could grow up without hardship.

It was an important conversation for this father and son, but on the surface, it was an ordinary daily life that didn’t attract attention. The conversations they had while sitting in the living room or at the dining table were not noticeable, so no one paid attention to them. Even Han Yooyoung would yawn and slip away when business talk came up.

Since there were no eyes watching, Jinhyuk didn’t give it much meaning either.

Yoojin, who had learned to read and understand words and spent more time by her father and brother’s side, was the only one who paid attention to this father and son.

“Uwaaa-. I can’t read this-”

Yoojin, who had climbed onto the table to look at the report, tugged at her already messy hair.

‘What’s wrong?’ Jinhyuk, while skillfully folding the heavy diaper, looked at the open file.

“I’m not an expert in that field. If the procedure and testing process are reliable, then we have no choice but to trust it, right?”

He said casually after looking at the title of the report, while rocking Jungwon, who was feeling refreshed with a new diaper, from side to side.

“Hmm-, you rascal. You’ve left me speechless.”

Perhaps feeling sorry for his father, who was scratching the back of his head, Jinhyuk leaned his head over the table and looked at the report his father had handed him again.

‘Even though it’s a reprocessed report, it’s still unfriendly.’

Alphabet and numbers.

There wasn’t a single Korean character.

Jinhyuk’s brow furrowed involuntarily. He thought that in other families, they wouldn’t show such a report to their son who was about to enter high school.

Son Kwangyeon, who was quick to notice, leaned forward and fumbled behind his back.

“Since you’re going to high school, here’s some allowance for our son…”

Capitalist Jinhyuk quickly straightened his posture.

“Let’s see-. This is the idea of making protective gear with FRP [Fiber Reinforced Polymer], right?”

But there was something else behind Son Kwangyeon’s back besides his wallet.

Ppoong-. Here’s a fart allowance.

“Kahaha!”

“Daddy- you’re a baaaaboooo-! Bbya bbya bbya bbya!”

‘This dad, really…’ Jinhyuk gritted his teeth inwardly, but he couldn’t bring himself to complain.

Because if he was the only one to be serious when his siblings were enjoying it so much, he would be the bad guy. Jungwon was even clapping her hands and enjoying it.

He had also heard stories from his friends, like Yeom Byeongtaek. That the happiest moment for other dads at home was when they sprayed self-produced air freshener into the air.

‘Hoo-. I got tricked again.’

He gets tricked every time, but it’s not easy to notice because the pattern and repertoire change each time.

Looking at that kind of character, his dad is definitely a strategist type. Looking at his bizarre and frivolous personality, he doesn’t seem like Zhuge Liang [a famous strategist], maybe Pang Tong [another famous strategist]. He even went to Pang Tong University, so it fits perfectly.

He would bend over, saying his back hurt, and ppoong-.

He would stretch, and ppoong-.

Ppoong after breakfast, ppoong after dinner-.

He was spraying even more enthusiastically because Yoojin and Jungwon liked it.

After eating the sea squirt, the sound had become even more powerful. It was so bad that he suspected he had transplanted a motorcycle muffler somewhere on his body.

But surprisingly, he never sprayed gas where his mother was.

He said he had to protect the sense of smell of the person who was cooking?

‘Protect what?’

Anyway, that was the situation, so even if Yoojin tattled that her dad had farted, her mother wouldn’t believe it. He was a surprisingly sly dad, and her mother’s faith in her husband was frighteningly devout.

Jinhyuk, who fanned himself a couple of times, gave his opinion on the report review.

“The idea of using FRP as a material for personal protective equipment seems premature. The results vary depending on the main material, but if you look here, it hasn’t secured particle stability, and it doesn’t support vertical stiffness either.”

“Hmm. That’s right.”

Son Kwangyeon also focused seriously, as if he had never been playful.

“Premature, results, particle, vertical…”

Yoojin, who was sitting next to her father and had opened a storybook, mumbled with drowsy eyes. She’s probably memorizing what her brother is saying again.

“It seems like it can be interpreted that it can tear if it gets caught on something or if weight is applied, and even if it tears, the wearer could get hurt in the process. If we want to compensate for those shortcomings, we would have to use expensive textile materials and a lot of resin, but wasn’t the reason for doing this research with FRP because of the unit cost? If we keep going while compensating for the shortcomings, the initial purpose will be lost.”

“Ooh-. That’s right, that’s right.” Son Kwangyeon smiled contentedly, as if that was the answer he had expected. For him, there was nothing as reassuring and rewarding as when his opinion matched his son Jinhyuk’s.

“Our son always gets to the core easily.”

Son Kwangyeon, who nodded and admired quietly, folded the report neatly. Into a ddakji [a traditional Korean paper game].

He was planning to teach his children how to play ddakji, spinning tops, and jegichagi [a Korean shuttlecock game] when Yoojin entered school, saying that he wanted his children to play games that he hadn’t been able to play when he was a child.

“Hmm-. It’s a good idea, but it’s a shame. It’ll take time.”

“If you research with other materials, you’ll find a way someday. It’s the unit cost that’s the problem, not the lack of materials. You’re trying to develop it yourself because you’re not satisfied with the existing materials or equipment.”

“That’s right. But, Jinhyuk. Why do researchers and non-experts see things differently? I find that so frustrating.”

As one topic was finished, Son Kwangyeon threw out a light topic.

“What do you mean…”

Son Kwangyeon pulled his chair closer.

“This idea was my idea, but why can’t people who are considered experts, who have development or processing technology, think about where to use it? If those people had come up with the idea before me, wouldn’t they have already started the research? Assuming the conditions such as capital are the same.”

“That…”

‘Why are you doing this to me?’ That thought briefly crossed his mind, but where else could you have such conversations with your family?

People who are happy and stress-free can treat all topics like gossip. Like Jinhyuk now.

The story of General Janggun, who treats the waterway like a refrigerator and makes Cheonma [a mythical horse] take out the fish one by one, the joke about the kid from the neighboring village who ran away because he didn’t want to get his tooth pulled, and the business talk with his father.

Everything was on top of a slow happiness.

“From my point of view-”

Jinhyuk, who guessed why his father was saying this and why he was frustrated, smiled awkwardly.

Yoojin grabbed her forehead, ready to record, and Jungwon started nodding.