The Genius Decided To Live An Ordinary Life [EN]: Chapter 227

If I had to pick one of the gains from returning, it would be the leisure to contemplate. It was a different aspect from when I was focused solely on immediate tasks to stand on my own. While walking, running, and commuting by bicycle and bus, Jinhyuk was always immersed in philosophical thought.

Yeah, that dog-shit philosophy.

“Yujin, whoa, whoa. Good girl.”

“Uwaaaaah…”

A person with no mental space and only one goal in mind would be forced to focus on a single subject, but Jinhyuk now had the leisure. His ingrained habit as a dog-shit philosopher allowed him to be flexible enough to contemplate the nature of power even while subduing his younger sister.

‘If the body doesn’t support it, it’s just an energy source.’

It was because my body supported it that I occasionally produced insane records. Like in Yujin’s case, if the vessel is small, the usage and amount are limited.

‘Seeing Yujin use it, it’s probably not a power exclusive to me, but it’s not easy to use as I please.’

Because the power is too immense, if I open it up, it rages like a storm, and the pressure is so strong that even opening the door a little causes it to pour out like water. Yeah, like a dam.

I even tried to use it a little like Yujin. It was a method of opening it up while holding a small amount in my heart. But if I released even a handful of power, a cold and warm energy would rush into my heart the moment I breathed. It was as if the expression ‘priming water’ existed for Jinhyuk’s heart.

Once filled, the pressure increased, and then it burst out again. It was an unintended cycle.

‘Thanks to that, I learned a lot.’

Because of the power I couldn’t completely control, Jinhyuk closed the floodgates and even dried up the river, fearing an accident. In the end, he became skilled at emptying it, so it wasn’t a futile effort.

It’s funny. A shackle and a booster at the same time.

Even if it’s a power that criminals yearn for in their delusions, if it becomes an obstacle to the ordinary and peaceful life Jinhyuk has chosen, it’s just unnecessary.

Today, I gained another realization through my dog-shit philosophy. While holding my younger sister, who was exhausted in a ‘hands-up’ position with her top pulled up from struggling.

“Uwaaaah. Huff, huff.”

The nameless power only supported her to struggle harder; it didn’t make Yujin’s strength stronger or her limbs flap faster. She didn’t even show remarkable speed when running away from her brother.

“Yujin, stop. Stooop. I’ll stop, okay? Your boobies are showing. That lady over there is going to make fun of you.”

No matter how much she was supported by a mysterious power, Yujin couldn’t overcome her brother’s brute strength, no matter how hard she tried. Jinhyuk, who had already sent a wild boar to the underworld with just his arm strength years ago.

“It’s okay, Yujin. Yujin doesn’t do it with a whirring machine like Dad.”

“Huff, huff. Ah, is that so?”

Jinhyuk did his best to soothe his younger sister, who was probably more scared by the machine’s sound.

Of course, it’s better to compromise through conversation than force.

“If you touch it with your tongue, it hurts, and you drool and get dirty.”

“That’s true. Huff, huff.”

Once her teeth start to wiggle, she can’t concentrate on schoolwork because she keeps touching them with her tongue. Even when eating, she might accidentally stimulate it and only increase her fear of pain.

It was something I didn’t know in the past, but now I do. Jinhyuk wanted his younger sister to solve her problem as soon as possible and enjoy her daily life.

I was in a position to learn a lot about human nature, but would it be too much to hope that I could pass on the knowledge and experience I had to my younger sister so that she could live a life with less conflict?

“But I’m still scared.”

“If you take it out quickly, you can eat a lot of delicious things.”

“Ooh?”

Talking at eye level is so important.

Yujin, who had been experiencing discomfort in chewing for several days, seemed to be swayed by her brother’s words.

However, persuasion wasn’t always easy.

“Ugh- aggro-roro-”

Son Gwangyeon, the Seoul man who had vowed to show his spirit, was still showing only his Adam’s apple with his arm raised.

‘Sigh. Is Dad not able to endure scaling even though he’s a man?’

Anyone would think he was being electrocuted.

His limbs flailing like a patient having a seizure made him look more like a snakehead fish [a type of fish known for its erratic movements].

Han Yuyoung, who had closed her eyes, and Jinhyuk, who had barely managed to calm Yujin down, both shook their heads.

The black knight had stepped up to persuade them that it didn’t hurt at all, but he was making such a fuss.

“Hahaha! Daddy’s a fool!”

Only Jungwon, who was carefree, enjoyed watching her dad’s hilarious fainting dance with a joyful heart.

Han Yuyoung had no choice but to appoint the next black knight.

“I can’t. Jinhyuk, can you show them first?”

No, whyyy? I’ve persuaded them all, what more demonstration do you need!

And Mom can do it!

“Our son, you can do it, right? If you want Yujin not to be scared, your brother has to step up. Do it well, like a brother should.”

Arguing was out of the question because Mom’s bright smile was too neat, and her teeth were dazzling.

Besides, if I refuse, I’ll become a bad guy, right?

‘Because of Dad, what is this.’

Well, there’s no other way now. I’ll show them the spirit of a real man.

Sigh.

Jinhyuk, who had scanned every corner of his teeth and gums with his tongue, steeled his heart.

‘It’s not scary. I’ve done it a lot in the past.’

Whew.

I went to the dentist often in my past life, so why am I so nervous?

It’s all because of that fussy dad.

Kiiiiing-.

The scaler stopped working, and Dad’s scaling was finally over.

Son Gwangyeon, with tears in his eyes, staggered off the chair. I don’t know what kind of major surgery he went through to be like that, but the way he was being supported by Yang Gangwook looked like an old tycoon appearing at the prosecutor’s office.

“Shall I help you with your son’s scaling?”

Jinhyuk, who clenched his teeth and fists, headed to the chair with a dignified stride.

After flinching for a moment at Jinhyuk’s fierce gaze, the nurse or dental hygienist, or whoever she was, announced the start in her usual tone.

“Raise your hand if it hurts?”

The mechanical voice of the staff made fear rear its head.

It’s a tone that makes you feel like you’re being subjected to a biological experiment.

‘Fear is an illusion, an illusion.’

Something covered my face, and my vision turned white.

Uh-oh, I can’t see! Medic!

“You might bleed, but it’s okay?”

Is it okay, or are you asking if it’s okay?

Anyway, it’s a unique way of speaking.

Huh, this precious body doesn’t allow itself to be hurt anyway.

Jinhyuk snorted inwardly and relaxed his body.

Kiiiiing-.

‘Oh, crap! I bleed too.’

Because I don’t have that strange power.

I even got pinched by Choi Mikyung, the high school girl.

But I can’t show weakness while my younger sister is watching.

In the most comfortable and peaceful posture possible.

Kiiiiiiiiing-.

“Ugh! Ugh-grrr-.”

It hurt.

It felt so different from the past!

I raised my hand, and someone grabbed it. It wasn’t like Jinhyuk’s arm would go down because of that, but the grip was quite strong, so it must be Dad or Yang Gangwook.

“Ugh-huh, our son is becoming a man too.”

It’s Dad.

Why did his speech suddenly become like Young-gu [a character known for his simple-mindedness]?

Becoming a man after just one scaling, it feels a bit unfair.

Even though I raised my hand, the intensity of the scaler, which made my teeth tingle as it swept between my teeth and gums, showed no signs of decreasing.

You said to raise my hand if it hurts!

“Ugh-grrr, ugh-grrr-.”

I was minimizing my groans, but like father, like son.

Jinhyuk’s arm also went up. Because it hurt.

I barely have any plaque, so why am I going through this ordeal because of my younger sister?

I could understand a little why Dad screamed.

Although the trigger is strange, isn’t the fact that we’re somehow forming a bond important?

Of course, that’s how you become a man, right?

“Ugh-uh-urk, cough, ugh-grrr-.”

Meanwhile, Yujin, who had become pale after seeing even her trusted brother groan, quickly ran towards the exit.

It was a speed that her mother, who was holding Jungwon, couldn’t handle.

‘Legs, please save me.’

I have to run!

However, she couldn’t get past Myunghyunwoo’s wall, who was blocking the door.

In time with the slow head-shaking of the Terminator-like figure, Yujin’s leg strength also gave out.

***

Clatter- clatter-.

Chop chop chop chop-.

“Sigh, it’s nice to eat out together.”

“Maybe it’s because I had my plaque removed, but the taste feels better. Sigh.”

The two men, who had finally become men, wielded their knives and forks as if competing.

Western-style pork cutlet is delicious.

I often ate Japanese-style pork cutlet near my company in my past life, but it’s a completely different dish with a different flavor.

Chop chop chop chop-.

“Yummy, yummy. Ah, it’s really delicious.”

Yujin, who had also had her other wobbly teeth extracted while she was at it, was also focused on the pork cutlet.

Even though she had lost four upper and lower front teeth, she didn’t seem to have much trouble eating. It was a bit strange how she tilted her head to the side like a puppy while chewing.

At the dentist, which she had been so afraid of, Yujin had bravely finished her extractions.

– “Sister, it doesn’t hurt.”

She had tried to escape until the very end, but she couldn’t ignore her younger brother Jungwon, who was babbling while pointing at the treatment chair. She had shown too many bad sides as a sister.

We shouldn’t ignore the doctor’s efforts, who had talked to the child at eye level as if playing a game.

– “Okay, here we go. Whoosh-.”

– “Hahaha-.”

– “Ta-da! I pulled it out.”

– “Waaah-.”

– “Here we go again. Whoosh-.”

– “Hahaha!”

My younger sister, who was happily munching on pork cutlet, was still difficult for Jinhyuk to understand.

Why did she resist so much when it was so easy to pull them out?

Children are hard to understand. That’s why you feel frustrated when you talk to them.

While her daughter was munching on the pork cutlet, Han Yuyoung placed the meat she had cut into bite-sized pieces on her daughter’s plate.

“It feels refreshing to have those wobbly teeth out, right? It doesn’t hurt either.”

“Yeah, ehehe.”

As if she had never cried, Yujin smiled, revealing her gums where her front teeth were missing.

“Ugh! It’s just for a moment. If you make a decision and close your eyes, it’ll pass.”

Han Yuyoung quickly turned her head to hold back her laughter.

It was also important to take care of Son Jungwon, who was covered in sauce around his mouth. Like a self-reliant baby, he was eating with a fork, but he didn’t know how to manage his face, so his mother had no choice but to take care of him.

After wiping the baby’s mouth with a napkin, she smiled, remembering something.

“Like brother, like sister, you’re so good at running away.”

Ahem.

Why are you bringing up my dark history?

Mom was talking about teeth, but Jinhyuk’s heart ached, remembering that winter’s sprint.

You have to raise your hand if it hurts.

“Please give me one more pork cutlet.”

“Me too, please.”

Yujin also raised her arm high.

Does she hurt too?

***

The dental commotion was safely settled for the time being.

To comfort his younger sister, who must have felt betrayed by her trusted brother, he visited the waterway at sunset.

Rustle- rustle-.

The reeds and cattails, dressed in their autumn attire, were quietly brushing against each other.

On the surface of the water, ducks and carp were riding the gentle waves, maintaining their indifference to each other.

Yujin pointed at a duck that was rummaging through the sod with its beak.

“Oppa, that one is a mallard, right?”

“Yeah, that’s a mallard.”

There was a time when I understood the word ‘fast’ in terms of absoluteness.

The attention and admiration of those around Jinhyuk’s records must have played a part in that.

“The green one is a male.”

“Yeah, animals are usually more colorful.”

To say that I value growing together and walking together to become human, yet I’m obsessed with records alone, it’s a kind of paradox, even if it’s not a complete contradiction. Relatively speaking, I’m fast enough that no one can keep up, yet I’m still obsessed.

“Our oppa is colorful too. Maybe he’s a male too.”

“Me?”

Of course, records are important when considering the cause of a goal.

Because it’s a height that I have to challenge and eventually climb.

“Um, you’re, like, fast.”

“Does being fast make you look colorful?”

“Of course. You’re very colorful.”

Yujin widened her eyes as if saying something obvious.

My brother, who is not competing for the top spot among players of a similar level, but is confidently running solo. Can the word ‘colorful’ fully capture his presence?

“The most, the most colorful.”

“Then should I run faster? More colorfully?”

“No one! Um, what is that called?”

Her pronunciation was awkward, but the way she held her chin was very serious.

“A new record? You want no one to run faster than oppa?”

“Yes!”

“Until when?”

“For 25,000 years!”

Yujin even spread her arms wide to express 25,000 years. It seemed like she wanted her brother to remain a colorful person, so Jinhyuk shook off his inner conflict.

‘What the heck, I’ll keep obsessing. It’s something I started anyway.’

Even if I started it for fun, it would be great if my results were good too.

I came out for a walk to take care of my younger sister, but instead, I received comfort and encouragement. That’s why family is good, right?

“Our Yujin, does your tooth not hurt anymore?”

“Yeah! It doesn’t hurt.”

“Were you mad at oppa?”

“No? I wasn’t?”

Yujin said that and shook her brother’s hand with strength.

Looking at her toothless smile, Jinhyuk burst into a hearty laugh.

“You’re not mad? Oppa betrayed you?”

“It’s okay. I can betray you later too. Hehehehehe!”

Yujin, who had given advance notice of her betrayal, ran on the track, laughing like a fool.