The Genius Decided To Live An Ordinary Life [EN]: Chapter 256

In the spotless principal’s office, a weighty matter hung in the air during the faculty meeting.

‘It seems simple, but it’s not something we can take lightly,’ the head teacher said, tapping a document on the table with his index finger.

It wasn’t a minor issue like separating the high school, building a dormitory to accommodate all students, installing artificial turf, or constructing an indoor gymnasium and auditorium.

After all, the high school construction wasn’t something the school directly managed; it was just a matter of money, and it wouldn’t hurt anyone’s feelings.

‘Hmm, it’s the first time we’ve had an Olympics…’

The head teacher rubbed his forehead.

‘Should we have him take the exam first, or should we use his midterm scores…’

There was nothing a student was more sensitive about, or that could hurt their feelings more than grades. That was assuming that other matters were managed thoroughly and fairly.

‘It’s a proud moment for our school to have a student participating in a national, no, a global event. However, we don’t have any precedents for how to handle this, and choosing one of the education office’s guidelines doesn’t sit well with us as a general high school…’

Son Jin-hyuk would be absent from the end of June for the Olympics.

He was scheduled to leave two weeks before the opening ceremony for local adaptation and training, which coincided perfectly with the final exam period.

The student affairs teacher, with his dark skin and caterpillar-like eyebrows, cautiously raised his hand.

‘How about recognizing his midterm scores, as per the education office’s second guideline?’

‘That would be convenient for us, but what would the other students think…’

If a student had mediocre grades, there would be no need to worry about it.

But this was the top student in the entire school.

Apart from the fact that the school ranking determined the internal grade, there was also the concern that other high-achieving students with strong desires for achievement might feel a sense of deprivation. It was a natural reaction, as it was difficult for a teacher to readily favor one student.

‘That’s right. Becoming an idol or being torn down as a public enemy is a history made up of accumulated momentary emotions. Besides, aren’t the students at a sensitive age?’

Tap-tap.

The principal tapped the thick glass covering the table.

The teachers, focusing their attention, all squinted.

The principal’s shiny head, occupying the head seat and scattering light, seemed particularly dazzling today.

‘The teachers’ concern for the students’ feelings is commendable, but frankly, it’s ridiculous for us to be doing this. It’s not like we caused the problem, and isn’t this a matter for which a policy has been handed down? Let the student choose, and the education office can take responsibility for any problems that arise later. The ones we should be fighting are the administrators, not the students.’

The teachers all nodded.

The principal’s words were right, and it wasn’t as if they had different opinions and were having a heated debate. Indeed, not just anyone could be a principal. It seemed like having a lot of hair was also important.

‘By the way, Mr. Ong-aek, no, Mr. Jeon Do-yeop, what does the student think?’

‘Hmph, he’s such an ambitious kid that he said he’d take the exam first.’

The principal nodded.

Wasn’t he the one who had caused friction with the federation over the school exam questions? He had expected him to choose the first guideline from the education office, which was to administer a separate exam.

‘Then let’s proceed that way. It’s a hassle to have to create an exam just for one student, but teachers, please put in some effort.’

‘Hmph, I’ll convey that to the student.’

Ong-aek felt a strange sense of disappointment.

If it were a sports-focused school, if he were a member of a formally trained sports team, and if his academic performance were low like a typical athlete due to frequent absences, it wouldn’t be so troublesome. They could just formally guide him to take the exam and roughly rank him.

‘Hmph, one talented kid is making everyone tired, heung-.’

But it wasn’t that he disliked it.

Wasn’t he a local celebrity and the pride of the school?

Ong-aek’s status among his relatives had also risen because he was Son Jin-hyuk’s homeroom teacher.

Just as the meeting was wrapping up uneventfully, the student affairs teacher grumbled.

‘Aren’t we just going to change the order of the questions anyway? We’ll be extracting them from the past papers, so what’s so hard about it… Let’s just think of it as making the exam a little earlier.’

*

Ong-aek called Jin-hyuk and conveyed the contents of the meeting.

‘Hmph, the class president’s exam range is the same as the other students. The questions might be different, but the difficulty will be matched as much as possible. That way, the other students will acknowledge your grades and ranking. It’s been decided that you’ll take the exam and return the test paper. Leaks are not allowed.’

‘Hmph, yes.’

‘Is there any complaint?’

‘Ah, no. I just…’

Since he had already covered all the material up to the third grade, would an exam be a problem?

He had already copied Choi Tae-yang’s clean exam paper, and he had obtained past papers from other seniors and solved them countless times, so it wouldn’t be difficult. And it was the first semester final exam for the second grade. It couldn’t be that hard.

***

Jin-hyuk visited the General Research Institute with Moon Seok-il.

It had been two days since he heard that a prototype of the spike shoes for Jin-hyuk had been made. He wanted to go even if it meant skipping school, but he resisted the temptation to uphold his duty as a student. Going a little earlier might mean that the improved product would come out sooner, but he didn’t think that just two days would make a big difference.

The results were disappointing.

The upper was made of a material stiffer than artificial leather, called polyvinyl chloride resin, which offered no elasticity. Considering that short-distance runners usually wear shoes barefoot, the shoes needed to hold the foot firmly to achieve both record and injury prevention effects.

The institute’s prototype had an ambiguous grip, and it seemed like blisters would form on the sole of the foot near the big toe and heel after just one run. It neither held the foot firmly to prevent it from shaking nor was it loose.

Due to the stiff material, the triple stitch area connecting the mudguard and vamp was also not sturdy. With this, the spike shoes, which had to transfer the power of the whole body in a short time, would not be able to withstand it. Everyone might expect that a track and field athlete’s legs and feet would be strong, but the problem was that they actually far exceeded those expectations.

The outsole, also known as the sole, was surprisingly better than the ready-made products.

Since it was a short-distance spike shoe, it naturally had no cushioning, but even when the toes were pressed against the ground and bent, the outsole did not separate from the center of the sole.

Although there were pros and cons, he couldn’t go to the Olympics wearing shoes with such clear flaws.

After trying on the prototype, Jin-hyuk revealed the shortcomings he felt without filtering them and suggested several improvements.

‘You took a mold of my foot, so how about making the upper as a whole? The stitching isn’t precise, so it feels like my foot is moving ambiguously.’

‘Ah? As a whole?’

‘Other athletes who wear custom spike shoes will break in the artificial leather.’

‘Hmm? Artificial leather?’

‘This upper doesn’t have elasticity, but it’s very strong. How about adding polyvinyl chloride? It would be good if it held the foot like a rubber band.’

‘Ah? Like a rubber band?’

‘It’s not lightweight.’

‘Hmm? Heavy?’

‘It would be great if I could wear them at the Olympics…’

‘Ah? Olympics?’

The female researcher with the strange reactions listened carefully to Jin-hyuk’s words and recorded them one by one. It was also peculiar that she tilted her head left and right alternately every time she answered. It seemed like a kind of tic disorder, and it felt familiar, like seeing Haeng-un.

He said goodbye and turned away with a sense of disappointment.

It wasn’t just for his own benefit when he ran.

The uniform had to be the top and bottom made by the federation according to the regulations. Therefore, if it wasn’t an official sponsor, they couldn’t put a logo on the athlete’s uniform.

However, shoes were different. Regardless of whether they were an official Olympic sponsor, athletes were free to choose products that suited them. This was because it was the part that had the greatest impact on performance. Perhaps, for some athletes, shoes were everything.

What if he achieved excellent results wearing shoes without a brand logo made by the General Research Institute?

‘That would be a real jackpot.’

That was the thought he had while sharing the next-generation mobile phone marketing strategy with Hong Ki-joon.

The Olympics was not just a simple sports festival, but a war without gunfire where capital and technology clashed beneath the surface. He wanted to promote General in the middle of that battlefield.

‘If it’s Dad’s vessel, he’ll be able to handle it.’

To stand proudly next to Hong Ki-joon, he had to become a unique figure. It was Hong Ki-joon’s order, not anyone else’s. He wanted General to establish itself as a qualified partner when Jin-hyuk stood in that position in the future.

In the car on the way home, Moon Seok-il, who had shed his former suffocating tension, asked comfortably.

‘Are you busy these days?’

‘Busy? I’m a student. It’s the uncles who are busy.’

Moon Seok-il chuckled.

He was preparing for exams, preparing for the Olympics, and taking care of the cable car research institute and training center, and he was also taking care of other people.

Even if it was just lip service, such a word had great power in human relationships.

‘What are you planning to do about the shoes? I’m curious. Was the General prototype really that unusable?’

Since they had built a friendship, it was okay to ask this much now…

But Jin-hyuk’s reaction was strange.

Jin-hyuk suddenly grabbed the passenger seat handle and chuckled like a silly person.

‘If I run in those, my ankle ligaments will be torn.’

Moon Seok-il’s mouth dropped open at the completely unexpected words.

‘Is it that bad?’

‘I was being diplomatic in front of the researcher earlier. I’d rather use them as combat boots, or I’d rather run barefoot than wear those.’

Cough-cough.

Moon Seok-il couldn’t help but laugh.

‘Hey, then what are you going to do? It seems like you had high expectations.’

‘I’ve told them the improvements, so I’ll have to see how they improve…’

‘Aren’t the shoes that the American kids wear the best?’

‘Yes. They have enough technology and capital, after all. They’ve also secured the market properly.’

Moon Seok-il’s brow furrowed at the difficult topic.

‘Aren’t the Japanese ones good too?’

‘It’s known that the spikes for track and field or ball sports are better than the American ones.’

‘Then wouldn’t it be better for you to wear Japanese shoes than the Korean ones you’re wearing now?’

‘Because of the width of my feet. I ended up with these after looking for something that fit my feet.’

‘Hmm.’

Moon Seok-il nodded.

He was explaining in such detail that it was awkward for an adult to offer more opinions.

They stopped at a traffic light at an intersection entering the town.

Moon Seok-il, who skillfully put the car in neutral, changed the subject.

‘Shin Sang-yeol is being well-managed.’

‘Yes. I can see that you’re treating him well.’

‘But Park Woo-jung is unusually cunning. Chairman Hong tried to sway him a few times through President Yoo Moon-sik, but it seems like it didn’t work.’

Jin-hyuk’s eyes were emotionless as he nodded silently.

It was a story he had already anticipated.

Park Woo-jung was no ordinary person.

If he had the greed of an ordinary person, he would have fallen for Hong Ki-joon’s chain of schemes, but the plan to use Yoo Moon-sik to have Park Woo-jung acquire shares of the Sein Group had failed.

Jin-hyuk imagined the strategy that Hong Ki-joon had drawn up.

The eldest son, who was kicked out by his father, Yoo Myung-sun, and wanted revenge on Sein.

‘It wouldn’t have worked.’

Park Woo-jung was not just a greedy pig.

He was a smart pig.

There was a good way to lure a pig.

A method inspired by the wild boar, his strongest enemy in Jin-hyuk’s life, with whom he had fought a life-or-death battle.

‘He must have a son studying abroad. Was it the third…’

‘The third, Park Hyun-soo. He was scheduled to return next month, but he postponed it until after the Olympics.’

As expected, Moon Seok-il had already figured it out.

Then there was no need to leave a long order.

‘You’ll need to gather some information.’

‘Okay. There’s a rumor that he’s a drug addict, so I’ll assign someone who knows that area well.’

It was exciting that the number of people who worked well together was increasing.

Whether it was a bright matter or a gloomy one.

‘Please tell him to meet me sometime. That person named Shin Sang-yeol.’

‘Okay. The atmosphere around Daejeong is settled, so we need to be careful. It’ll be difficult this year, and next year would be better.’

‘What kind of person do you think he is?’

‘He’s just an ordinary head of household and a salaryman. He’s the epitome of someone who works like a dog because he’s being used, even if he doesn’t like the job he’s been given. He’s someone who can’t easily betray either side. Such a person will eventually go where their emotions lean.’

He simply nodded in agreement.

Such insight and analytical skills, Moon Seok-il was a person who was too good to waste as a soldier.

‘By the way, how old is he?’

‘He’s fifty-two this year…’

Oh my, he was an elder.

The traffic light turned green.

Moon Seok-il, who put the car in first gear, tilted his head.

‘Sigh, is he forty-two?’

This uncle?

Sigh, why is he changing his mind like that?

***

‘Nuna, nuna-. Carry me on your back-.’

‘Our baby, shall we have nuna carry you on her back?’

Even though she couldn’t run like her older brother, Son Yu-jin was good at piggybacking thanks to her well-trained legs from exercising.

With a smooth, flowing motion, she put her younger brother, Son Jeong-won, on her back and skillfully wrapped him in a carrier.

‘Our baby, where do you want to go with nuna?’

‘To hyung. Icha, icha-, I miss hyung-.’

Because he was on her back, she couldn’t see him, but Jeong-won, who was wriggling and calling for hyung, seemed to be pointing to the second floor.

Recently, her older brother’s friends had been coming over often, making it crowded, and Jeong-won must have been very disappointed that he couldn’t join them. Guessing her younger brother’s feelings, Son Yu-jin stepped onto the stairs.

‘Let’s go-. Huff-huff-.’

Icha-icha-.

It would be dangerous if she fell while carrying her younger brother, so she held onto the railing and climbed slowly and carefully.

Knock-knock-.

She had to knock first.

In the past, her older brother didn’t say anything even if she just opened the door, but one day, his face turned red, and he very seriously emphasized that she had to knock when coming to his room. He didn’t get angry, but he had a look like he was angry.

He said he fell because he got caught on his pants while getting up in a hurry, but she didn’t know why his feet would get caught on his pants, but most older brothers were like that. Anyway, she had to do as her older brother told her. Son Yu-jin was a good younger sister who listened to her older brother.

Click-.

As expected, her older brother was kind. When she knocked, he came to greet her himself.

His face wasn’t red, so it seemed like he hadn’t fallen this time.

‘Hehehe-, oppa, are you studying for your exam?’

‘Hyung, hyung-. Are you studying?’

‘Yeah. Did our babies come?’

Jin-hyuk tried to hug Jeong-won, but Jeong-won seemed to prefer being carried on his sister’s back.

‘Shireo-, appa-baba-baba! Baboo!’

When a baby wriggled and shouted like that, it meant they didn’t like it.

Son Yu-jin was a smart elementary school student, so she knew that too.

She patted Jeong-won, who was expressing his anger at not being separated from his sister, and glanced at her older brother’s desk. The last time her older brother said he fell, there was something on the monitor, and he tried to cover it with his body.

Ah, it seemed like her older brother was really studying. The monitor was off, and a large exam paper was spread out on the desk. Wow, high school students had so many words on their exam papers, and there were more Chinese characters than Korean ones!

‘Oppa, are you studying for a Chinese character exam?’

‘No, it’s not that. Ah, is it similar? It’s just like an IQ test.’

When her older brother folded the exam paper away, the Chinese characters written at the top caught her eye.

‘The 30th Habup…?’