The Genius Decided To Live An Ordinary Life [EN]: Chapter 215

< Dead Point (3) >

Son Yu-jin found some comfort in her brother’s logical analysis.

– “Well, isn’t it possible that Yu-jin’s ability doesn’t work on Cheonma because it’s meant to heal, not kill? It’s just a hypothesis, not necessarily the truth. A hypothesis is….”

– “What are you talking about?”

– “Remember when you had a stomachache, your hands didn’t work then either. Maybe your healing hands don’t work on bacteria or viruses because they’re also considered living things, even though you can eliminate tumors?”

E. coli, staphylococcus, and other bacteria. According to her brother, they were also living things, just like regular bacteria.

– “Just think of it that way. So our Yu-jin doesn’t feel so upset.”

Even though it wasn’t certain, the circumstances fit, so she couldn’t argue. After all, wasn’t he the smartest person she knew?

– “But it still gets better if I keep touching him, right?”

– “Yes. If I make him warm, the things that hurt move around and find a door? An exit? They go there.”

Though she couldn’t see it, it felt like they were finding an exit to escape.

Were they leaving to find a way to live, or were they running away because they couldn’t live there? Ah, were they the same thing?

When she had a stomachache, she had also gathered them up and pushed them out of her body.

Those things, whether they were bacteria or viruses.

Of course, it took a very long time, so she wondered if she could even say it was thanks to her.

“Nuna-, Nunaa-.”

Jeong-won grabbed and shook Son Yu-jin’s finger.

Just like baby Yu-jin used to do when she was pestering her brother.

“Yes? What is it, my little brother?”

“Up-ba-a-a.”

Jeong-won raised his arms towards his sister, wanting a piggyback ride.

Even though he was wearing a wide-brimmed hat, his cheeks were flushed from the heat rising from the ground.

Oh dear, she had made this little one walk too much.

But he wasn’t whining, which made Yu-jin think he was unusually mature.

She bent her knees and squatted, extending her arms behind her.

“Come on, our baby, get on Nuna’s back.”

“Up-ba!”

“Aigoo-, Nuna is going to fall.”

With a jump full of trust, Son Jeong-won landed squarely on his sister’s back.

He immediately wrapped his arms around her shoulders, making happy crow sounds.

“Caw-.”

Haeng-un, who had briefly flown away to avoid the baby’s hands, landed on her head, and Son Yu-jin straightened her sturdy legs.

“Hehehe-. Let’s go home!”

“Ttu-bba-a!”

Even though she was panting from the heat, Yu-jin was happy.

The image of Cheonma wagging his tail at the sight of the cow bones came to mind, and she felt a deep affection for her brother, who was rubbing his face against her back, sleepy.

The sky, which had been heavily clouded as if it would pour rain at any moment, began to drop raindrops, tuk, tuduk-.

***

Jang-gun settled down a little away from the oak tree.

He wagged his tail, sweeping the dirt floor, enjoying the rest the shade provided.

Hehehek-.

If you had to pick the person the dogs in this house followed and liked the most, it would be Son Aeng-aeng [a nickname for a child, often used affectionately].

They spent a lot of time together, so they had grown fond of each other, and it felt good when she touched them with her soft hands.

If you had to pick the dog who liked Son Aeng-aeng the most, it would definitely be Cheonma.

Cheonma was a loyal fellow, so he followed people well, whether they were stronger or weaker than him, like Son Wang-wang [another nickname, likely for a child], Son Aeng-aeng, Jang-gun, and who else was there. Anyway, that was his personality.

Son Aeng-aeng knew this, so she must have gotten the cow bones that Cheonma liked and gone out for a picnic.

Hey, you should at least boil them, what are you supposed to do with raw bones?

Anyway, Son Aeng-aeng is hopeless.

Hehe-.

Anyway, it’s too hot.

Hek-hek-heek-.

That’s not a sound coming from my snout.

It’s the sound of air escaping from my lungs, which are so hot they’re burning.

Jang-gun is a smart dog, so he knows that too.

Last year, it was just hot, but this year, it’s humid, so it’s even harder.

Summer is a tough season for dogs. Humidity is scarier than the temperature.

If it were just hot, you could just find shade and lie down, but humidity can’t be solved even in the shade.

Hahyu-.

It’s so hot that my balls are sweating. I don’t have balls, but that’s an exaggeration to show how hot it is.

Jang-gun is a literary dog, so he knows such expressions.

After a downpour, the sun came out, and it became even harder to breathe.

Grrr-.

No, but Cheonma, that bastard, is out of it.

Isn’t he sick for too long?

Jang-gun gave Cheonma the oak tree.

It was a great act of canine generosity. It’s a prime spot that he doesn’t allow just anyone.

There are no bugs around the oak tree, so dogs can rest comfortably, and the leaves are big, so the shade is huge.

He gave it up, but….

Because the shade was wide, Jang-gun also sat by Cheonma’s head to cool off. Hehet-.

Woof-.

Jang-gun, the leader, was disappointed in Cheonma.

To think that the guy who detected bombs and drugs had so little guts.

A fierce dog showing weakness in this heat only deserves death!

Cheonma didn’t even show interest in the cow bones that Son Aeng-aeng had gotten and was just breathing heavily.

So Jang-gun was suddenly scared.

That the old Cheonma might die.

This is a secret….

I ignored him, calling him a mutt, but actually, Cheonma has a pedigree and a good build. He’s a purebred, so his lifespan is short.

Unlike Jang-gun or Hong-si, who have a variety of bloodlines in their blood, he’s a different breed, so he could go at any time.

Hiek-.

But Cheonma said he wasn’t sick enough to die.

His lower abdomen hurt, but Son Aeng-aeng touched him, and now he was okay.

He just said he was hot and having trouble breathing.

Hey, then get up quickly and catch some fish for me.

I’m saying, I don’t feel like eating kibble because it’s so hot.

Kkeuee- hueek-.

Cheonma struggled to get up.

Woof-.

Hey, you don’t have to catch them now. Let’s do it when it’s dark.

If you get caught catching fish during the day, Son Wang-wang will go crazy.

Kkeuee-.

Cheonma said that Son Wang-wang had come.

Maybe it’s because he was a military dog, but from the first day he came, he was taught that Son Wang-wang was the leader, so Cheonma follows the child like a rock.

Even now, he’s going to the child, shaking his front and back legs.

I almost got touched, thinking he got up to catch fish for Jang-gun.

Cheop-.

I want to eat snakehead [a type of fish].

Still, since Son Wang-wang came, should I wag my tail?

I’m too lazy to get up, so I’ll do it while lying down.

Huh?

But who is that older brother in the white clothes behind the child?

He smells similar to the doctor named Park Meong-meong [Meong-meong is the sound a dog makes, so this is a playful nickname for the vet].

***

Yu Jae-woon, who was guarding the health center relying on a single fan, couldn’t refuse the earnest request of a high school student.

People in the countryside request house calls for all sorts of reasons.

The rooster doesn’t crow, the cow’s urine hasn’t been falling like a waterfall for a few days, the ostrich eggs are too small, and so on.

Fortunately, Yu Jae-woon liked animals and majored in veterinary medicine. Although he changed his career path to medical school after taking the exam again at his parents’ recommendation, he was a doctor with sufficient expertise in veterinary medicine.

The residents don’t just visit the health center unconditionally. They are also intelligent humans, so they only ask the health center when veterinarian Park Bu-ro is sick or the animal hospital is closed.

“I’m sorry. Mr. Park Bu-ro went on a trip. My younger sibling is too worried.”

“Yeah, I’m used to it….”

Yu Jae-woon’s answer was casual. He knew how worried this big brother must be, since his younger sibling was worried. The residents who suddenly visited the health center all came out of desperation, with a hopeful heart.

Still, it was funny. Now, he was even coming to examine a dog.

“Let’s see, is this the one?”

Yu Jae-woon approached the mutt wagging its tail in the shade.

“Not that one, it’s this one.”

“Ah, right. You said it was a German Shepherd.”

“Cheonma, come here.”

When Jinhyuk called, Cheonma staggered towards the flat bench.

Jinhyuk watched silently.

Watching the doctor examine the animal.

Yu Jae-woon put the stethoscope to Cheonma’s chest, wiped his nose, and observed how long it took for it to run again. Like Park Bu-ro, he also poked a white plastic stick into Cheonma’s butt.

With Jinhyuk next to him, Cheonma flinched but received the treatment quietly.

He took his temperature, observed his tongue and palate.

Even to Jinhyuk, who didn’t know much, Yu Jae-woon examined him more thoroughly than Park Bu-ro.

Yu Jae-woon chuckled after the examination. He pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses.

“It looks like a cold?”

“Yes?”

Seriously.

What kind of dog gets a cold in the middle of summer?

“Do dogs really get colds? He didn’t sneeze or cough.”

“This is rare. Only people who have studied veterinary medicine deeply would know….”

As if certain, Yu Jae-woon nodded his head strongly.

“You could say it’s like a body ache?”

“A body ache?”

“Look here.”

Yu Jae-woon massaged around Cheonma’s belly.

Cheonma was startled, but there was no fear in his eyes.

“Old dogs usually start with kidney failure.”

“Kidney failure….”

“You could say it’s a matter of life and death? When an old dog gets kidney failure, it slowly dies. Dog kidney failure cannot be cured by medicine yet. You can extend their lifespan a little, but no one tries to cure it.”

Yu Jae-woon smiled bitterly and shook his head.

“When I first heard your story, I thought it might be that kind of symptom. But he’s very healthy.”

Yu Jae-woon moved his hand and massaged Cheonma’s front leg.

Kkeuee-.

A metallic groan came from Cheonma’s throat.

“The dog is reacting, right? He’s making a groaning sound.”

“Yes, he is.”

“This is muscle pain.”

Jinhyuk’s eyes widened in surprise.

‘Ah, is it because Yu-jin only touched his head and belly?’

But do dogs get muscle pain?

Jang-gun had been running around with him for years, and he never knew that.

As if understanding Jinhyuk’s doubts, Yu Jae-woon continued to explain.

“This guy overdid it. Didn’t he play or train for a long time? German Shepherds are a breed with strong loyalty, so even if it’s hard, they’ll do it until the end if their owner tells them to. There have been cases where they played fetch all day and died the next day.”

“What could he have overdone-.”

Jinhyuk was about to ask back but closed his mouth.

Ah!

That bastard Jang-gun….

Swimming on the ground is harder than running, diving is harder than swimming on the surface, and catching fish that swim fast in the water is several times harder than simple diving.

Yu Jae-woon, who looked around the wide yard and lawn, made a surprised sound and turned his gaze to Jinhyuk.

“I heard there were five dogs, why do I only see two?”

“Ah, my younger sibling must have taken the other three for exercise.”

“Hmm. That’s why they’re healthy. It’s good to move even when it’s hot. Don’t worry too much. This friend will be fine. I’ll give you some antipyretics, try feeding them to him. Change his water often with clean, cool water.”

Yu Jae-woon, who had packed his house call bag, got up.

“Where is their bathroom? I don’t see any poop, so it seems like there’s a separate place they use as a bathroom?”

Yu Jae-woon, who had closely observed even the dog poop in the compost pile, told him not to worry too much. He said he didn’t see any parasites and that they all seemed healthy. However, there was one thing.

“Is this it?”

“What is it?”

“Look here. The stool is loose. Maybe it’s because he has a cold and can’t digest well.”

I don’t think so?

That’s Jang-gun’s poop from eating raw fish?

He wanted to give his opinion, but Jinhyuk just nodded silently.

It seemed like it was enough for him to know the truth.

Jinhyuk quickly went inside and brought out juice.

“Please wait while you drink this.”

“Okay.”

He ran to the vegetable garden and picked ripe red tomatoes and Korean melons, and cut a watermelon with a curled stem. Still not enough, he picked some ripe peaches from the yard. In the countryside, you don’t just send away a kind person who came all the way, so he had to give him something.

“Are the corn ripe yet?”

He harvested a few good ears of corn, and sweat was dripping down his neck, but he didn’t care. It was enough to wash it off, and if he could show his gratitude, what was a little sweat?

He asked Kim Sang-ho to take Yu Jae-woon to the health center. It would be quick if they traveled by car.

“Thank you.”

“Okay, I’ll enjoy the food.”

Yu Jae-woon, who was carrying a bag of dog food filled with fruit and corn, smiled awkwardly before getting into the car.

It was a natural reaction, as he received more than he gave as a country doctor, no matter which farm he visited.

It was definitely a generous reward for the price of a few antipyretics.

Jinhyuk moved towards the oak tree.

After giving Cheonma the antipyretics, he had something to do with Jang-gun, who was always sprawled out there.

‘Is it like a human who is crazy about raw fish?’

Anyway, that bastard is an unusually extraordinary dog.

He had to teach him that eating raw food would cause problems.

Around sunset.

A cold lasts a week whether you go to the hospital or not.

Whether it was thanks to the antipyretics or because it was time to get better, Cheonma looked down at the waterway with a lighter body. No, it would be more accurate to say that he was watching the two animals running along the waterway with a puzzled expression.

“Come here, you bastard-!”

The chase that started by circling the yard had changed its stage to the waterway track.

Jinhyuk, holding a broom like a sword, and Jang-gun, with his fur like armor.

It was a running match with the pride of two strong legs, not caring about the heat. It would be more appropriate to call it a life-or-death struggle.

From Jang-gun’s point of view, he would die if he was caught, and from Jinhyuk’s point of view, he was dying from running to catch that guy.

“Don’t stop there, you bastard-!”

Kkaewae-wae-waewael-!

While looking back, Jang-gun ran on the track, crying as pitifully as possible.

Towards the training center.

“Stop there, you bastard! Let’s talk-!”

Kkaewae-! Kkaewae-wae-waewael-!

It’s hot! Let’s talk! Why are you holding a broom if we’re going to talk!

“Ugh-, that short leg is so fast!”

Kkaewae-wae-waewael-! Aeu-aeu-aeu-.

Bomi, Jang-gun is going to die-.

That bastard is trying to sweep me away-!