The Genius Decided To Live An Ordinary Life [EN]: Chapter 206

We found the waterway again and launched the leaf boat made of Sasa borealis leaves [a type of bamboo].

Yujin didn’t shout like before, but sat quietly, just watching with a pleased look. The leaf boat floated calmly, following the swaying breeze and the quietly moving water that seemed to have stopped.

The little one’s pleased smile made her look like a benevolent mother.

“Oppa, look at that. The leaf looks like an airplane.”

The sky was reflected on the surface of the water, which was so clean that it was hard to believe it was an irrigation canal, and the leaf boat created shy ripples as the clouds slowly flowed by.

“It’s so pretty. It really looks like a boat.”

Jinhyuk, who was squatting next to Yujin, spent more time looking at his younger sister than at the leaf boat.

“Right? If you float it in a stream, it will follow the flow. When I was your age, I used to sit and watch like this too.”

“With Mikyung unnie?”

Yujin turned her head towards her brother.

Jinhyuk placed his hand on his younger sister’s small head and stroked it once.

“Yeah. Now I’m watching with Yujin. It’s really nice.”

“I want to ride that. If I could shrink, I could ride it.”

It’s a child’s imagination.

‘I used to think like that a lot too.’

Like Thumbelina, or even smaller, I imagined riding on that boat, reaching the sea, and sailing the ocean. Then, I’d encounter a storm, go to a land of little people, and embark on an adventure to save a princess and defeat a dragon.

Now that I know it’s impossible, it’s become a more distant dream.

“Later, when we make a boat, let’s go see Soojung unnie’s grandfather along the waterway.”

“Okay.”

An adventure to the sea would be difficult, but that much would be possible.

The end of the waterway reaches the seawall, and if you walk along the seawall, you’ll reach the training center.

“Yujin, do you go to the training center often these days?”

“I went with Kim Hojin today too. Grandpa gave us, um, um- snacks and juice, and we ate them. I also watched Janggun and Bbomi play.”

“Good job. Say hello often.”

Myungseon brought Bbomi down with her.

One morning, when I first saw the retriever that looked exactly like a persimmon enter the yard, I thought I was seeing things. A fancy-looking dog came with a pink ribbon, not fitting in with the countryside. But after seeing Janggun running around like crazy, I knew it was Bbomi.

It was Yuseora who sent her, hoping she would live in the countryside with fresh air and plenty of space to run around.

It was a funny and amazing sight.

Seeing the leader dog, Janggun, acting cute in front of another dog.

It was like witnessing a cold, strict boss acting shy and using a sweet voice in front of a man she likes. That’s how my former team members described it to Jinhyuk.

‘It’s a good thing.’

Sometimes, when I see Janggun whimpering in his sleep, it makes me feel bad because it seems like he misses Bbomi. So, I was thinking of telling Hong Gijun’s family to bring Bbomi when they come for vacation. But we haven’t been able to go on vacation together for years, so it’s just remained a plan.

But now that Bbomi is in the countryside, the two of them will live close by and grow old together.

‘It’s been a while since I’ve seen Soojung’s face.’

It feels like I’ve spent time doing all sorts of things, but I haven’t spent much time with Hong Soojung.

Myungseon has come down too, so maybe I can see her this vacation.

***

All day long, Hong Gijun reviewed payment documents, had meetings with the board of directors and executives, and met with government officials who wanted to have interviews. It seemed like even 48 hours wouldn’t be enough for Hong Gijun’s day.

However, he couldn’t neglect his physical training. To prepare for the upcoming middle age, it was a daily routine he couldn’t skip.

Hoo-. Phoooo-.

He inhaled while squatting awkwardly, held his breath for a moment, and then slowly stretched his legs while exhaling.

Yuseora came into Hong Gijun’s view as he was doing squats in the gym on the first floor of the mansion.

Thanks to the darkened garden, the glass window acted like a mirror, revealing her sulky face.

‘What’s wrong with her today?’

It’s not like Yuseora making a sulky face is a new thing, but when someone who is usually a tomboy at home acts like that, Hong Gijun, who is quick to notice, can’t help but be concerned.

Thud-!

Yuseora was startled by the loud noise of the weight plates being placed on the Smith machine.

Hong Soojung, who was jumping rope with bandages on her hands, yelled.

“Aish! You scared me! Dad! Put it down gently! You’ll make me fall!”

“Hey! You little thing, why are you talking like that?”

“I’m not that much shorter than Mom, you know?”

Those women are at it again.

“That dad always slams the weights down when he does bench presses, it scares me so much! He’s got bigger boobs than Mom, how much bigger does he want them to get?”

“Oh, my, look at this girl? She says everything!”

Yuseora, with her hands on her hips, glared at her daughter as if she would eat her alive.

That’s right.

Even if she’s going through puberty, the mother should scold her firmly at times like this.

Show her that there’s menopause above puberty, Yuseora!

It’s not like she’s going through menopause yet, but that’s just how it is.

Hong Gijun, who had finished his sports drink, watched quietly, trusting his wife to handle it.

“Hey! You, you-. Uh, Mom’s boobs are bigger than Dad’s!”

Whew-, that’s more like it.

I shouldn’t have left it to her.

Hong Gijun, who wiped the sweat from his face with a towel, took a step forward.

“Stop it. Soojung, don’t talk rudely to your mother. And you, don’t fight with your daughter like you’re the same age.”

“Okay, honey.”

“Okay, Dad.”

The two lionesses, who were growling at each other, became quiet with one word from Hong Gijun.

As if they were waiting for him to stop them.

Hong Gijun, who glanced at his wife and daughter alternately, chuckled.

Yeah, there has to be this much fun to make the hard work worthwhile.

In my past life, I was always watching their every move, it was like I wasn’t even living.

Yuseora, with her arms crossed, glared at her daughter once and then approached Hong Gijun.

“You’re not a bodybuilder, why are you lifting so heavy?”

“You increase the weight as you get used to it. Do you have something to say to me? What is it?”

“Was it obvious?”

Hehe-.

Cute. She was standing there like she wanted to be noticed, but now she’s pretending she wasn’t.

“Tell me.”

“Haa-, oppa. You know-.”

She suddenly touched her forehead and called him oppa.

It seems like this woman is going to ask for a favor again.

They moved to the reception room.

It was difficult to concentrate on the conversation because of the sound of Hong Soojung jumping rope and her heavy breathing.

“So-. To put it simply, you want me to mess with the Athletics Federation, or, scold them?”

“No, well… rather than scolding them, just think of it as giving them a little tap…”

As she said that, Yuseora threw a jab in the air. It was a move she learned while watching Hong Soojung boxing.

Feeling awkward after saying that, Yuseora twirled the hair near her ear with her index finger.

Hong Gijun, with his face still flushed from the heat, crossed his arms.

‘It’s a tricky problem.’

The main point was simple.

Son Jinhyuk was selected as a junior national representative, but he received a notice to participate in the national team training before the Asian Games. However, Jinhyuk refused, saying that it overlapped with his final exam period.

To the average person, it might seem like a simple problem. Why are they even worrying about it?

They would think that he could just take the exam and go to the competition.

“Ah, you know-. So, I looked into it, and it’s the same for other sports, not just track and field. They’re all a bunch of stubborn idiots, you know?”

“Is the reason the same too?”

“Yeah!”

Yuseora’s head moved up and down strongly. She might hurt her neck.

“They think that athletes should prioritize their athletic career first! Oh, isn’t that crazy! Is there such a thing as an athletic career? The right to do sports? That’s not a right, it’s forced. Seriously, how many athletes who give up their school days to do sports in unpopular sports live well? None. There isn’t a single one in our country.”

If they’re lucky, they might appear on TV doing aerobics. Yuseora trailed off, startled by her own voice.

At Yuseora’s loud voice, the close bodyguards and housekeepers glanced at them, but Hong Gijun calmly touched his chin.

“Solkkiki! Aish-.”

Yuseora loosened her jaw from side to side.

It seemed like her jaw was slightly misaligned because she had been sleeping face down on her desk at the office during the day.

“Honestly! What’s the point of going to training camp? Do track and field or swimming athletes improve their records or get in better shape after training camp? When they go to the national team, coaches and managers stick to them and try to force their own styles. And then, uh-, um…”

“They’ll try to tame them, thinking it’s an opportunity. And they’ll only favor their own factions.”

“Oh, that’s right!”

“It’s completely political.”

The reason why Hong Gijun thought it was ambiguous was because of that.

Although it was nothing compared to Hong Gijun, it was already a group that had become a power and interest group. It was safe to say that it had become a political force by its very existence.

“Well…? I’ve heard to some extent that the Sports Council has ties to that side, but I wasn’t trying to talk about politics right now.”

Yuseora, who knew that Hong Gijun hated politics, hesitated.

“Yuseora.”

“Huh?”

Yuseora, who was scratching the back of her head, made a blank expression.

“I wasn’t talking about politicians in suits. Everything we eat, sleep, poop, and breathe is politics. If you don’t look into its essence and don’t pay attention, you’ll end up buying cheap things at high prices, sleeping in the rain, breathing dirty air, and drinking dirty water, without knowing who’s at fault.”

The fierce lioness Yuseora straightened her posture and sat up straight.

Her knowledgeable husband was saying things that she could use later.

“Corporations are politics, and sports are politics. It’s just that they look different depending on their purpose. If they deviate from their original purpose, loud noises will leak out, and then they won’t be able to avoid criticism for becoming a political force. Any group.”

“How do you know so much when you live so far away from politics?”

“You need to know to avoid it, and you need to know to fight and win. Those who only complain without knowing always cry that they were deceived and betrayed after being defeated, but I use them appropriately, don’t I?”

“I think this is difficult right now?”

It’s like living with a dad, not a husband. Yuseora added, scratching her forehead, her eyes looking quite pitiful.

Not because she was sad, but because she had a headache.

“If they deviate from the pure purpose of fostering athletes and create factions and favoritism, there will be conflicts between leaders and athletes, and if such friction is repeated, people will feel disgusted.”

“Aish-. So, what, what’s the point? I have a headache.”

“Jinhyuk shouldn’t go in there.”

“Why?”

Because he has to be the only one. Hong Gijun swallowed his words.

“Then what should we do!”

Frustrated by her husband’s silence, Yuseora raised her voice as if she was acting out.

It wasn’t just because of the plan to promote the foundation and management by using the success of their affiliated athletes.

“He has to go to the Asian Games, and he has to win a medal. If they don’t like him once, they might not pick him again. Are you going to send him to the army?”

Yuseora raised her voice while looking at Hong Soojung, who had finished her workout.

“Do you want Jinhyuk oppa to go to the army?”

“Who cares?”

Hong Soojung shrugged and disappeared.

“That, that heartless girl. Who did she take after-.”

Hong Gijun delivered the final blow to Yuseora, who was red-faced as if she was about to explode.

“That’s not bad either. If he goes to the army, Soojung will be an adult too.”

“Hey! Hong Gijun!”

Hahahahaha!

Hong Gijun laughed heartily.

She’s calm one moment and then throws a tantrum the next. Yuseora’s unpredictable nature is her charm.

“The army? If he wants to go, then he can go… but there’s the Armed Forces Athletic Corps [a special unit for athletes in the military].”

“Don’t joke around.”

Yuseora looked straight into her husband’s eyes and said as if she was questioning him.

Because Hong Gijun’s expression wasn’t sincere.

Hong Gijun, who had just wet his lips with the still-hot coffee, hardened his expression.

“Is it even a big deal for the richest person in this country to get one person out of the army? Even those who have a little bit of money do that.”

“You hate that kind of thing.”

“That’s why you should work hard too. If you don’t want to see me do something I hate with my own hands.”

“Wh, what do you mean by that? What more should I-.”

Don’t be swayed by emotions, don’t be swayed by other forces, and support the athlete as he wants. Hong Gijun couldn’t bring himself to say it. Because at that moment, his wife would lose her independence as a representative.

Hong Gijun, by his very existence, already has a significant impact on human affairs.

His wife would have no way of knowing his intention to minimize that impact. And she shouldn’t know.

He put a towel around his neck and poured the rest of the coffee into his mouth.

“Keuheum-! Anyway, there’s nothing I can help with right now, and I can’t help. You and Jinhyuk have to overcome this problem on your own.”

“Okay…”

Yuseora scratched her head roughly.

She looked tired, but there was no sign of disappointment.

‘Hong Gijun, that means he’s saying he’ll help if I try my best and still can’t solve it on my own, right?’

Although she bickers with her daughter over trivial things, Yuseora wasn’t a dim-witted lioness.

Ugh, I was trying to take it easy, but I just got a lecture. And a headache to boot.

Coffee is the best cure for a headache.

I’ll do a one-shot like Hong Gijun. Cheers-.