The Genius Decided To Live An Ordinary Life [EN]: Chapter 289

The Vessel

Jin-hyuk was broke.

It wasn’t just because he had donated all his prize money after discussing it with his parents.

He did get an allowance from his parents, after all.

‘I’ll get my allowance when I go back to Korea and give it to you.’

Some of his school friends reacted with, ‘Son Jin-hyuk… an allowance?’ Many others might think the same.

With his physique and social recognition, it was hard to believe, but surprisingly, Son Jin-hyuk was still a minor. Wow-.

There was something he really wanted to do, and he went back to his childhood to do it.

Giving his bankbook to his mom.

Even though his dad insisted that he should manage his own money from a young age to develop financial sense and planned spending habits, Jin-hyuk was adamant.

Even when he received 100 won from the neighborhood elders or picked up 10 won on the street, he gave it to his mom. Except for the allowance his dad secretly gave him. Emergency funds were meaningful and precious in their own way.

It might seem ordinary and common to others. But for Jin-hyuk, whose every day was filled with touching moments, it was a precious and sacred ritual.

Anyway, the bankbook where he saved his allowance was managed by his mom.

The salary Hong Ki-joon gave him went to RB.

About $1,500 a month. It was a considerable amount. But would $1,500 even be considered money to that dinosaur investment firm?

Anyway, it was money he couldn’t withdraw, so to Jin-hyuk, it was less than virtual currency, and he thought of it as a game for Hong Ki-joon, who must be bored with the world. He really didn’t think it was a problem if he didn’t get paid.

That’s just how Son Jin-hyuk was.

Money was money, and water was water.

…The explanation of him being a beggar got long.

‘What are you going to do?’

Yu Se-ra, who had been watching him with a face that seemed to say, ‘Why are you taking so long to say something?’ leaned back on the sofa.

‘I’m going to buy some souvenirs. For my friends, and for my family…’

Yu Se-ra finally smiled and nodded.

She always said ‘my player’ as a habit, but Jin-hyuk, who was focused on the competition, was scarier than anyone Yu Se-ra knew. Even Jin Seon-kyu, who was much more senior, was dragged around without a single complaint.

He also made sharp criticisms and offered many constructive opinions regarding the foundation’s operation. For Yu Se-ra, who had relied on fame with only a grand vision without a proper short-term business plan, it was a business trip that was a great help.

Now that the competition was over and he was finally acting his age, it felt more natural.

‘Ah, gifts for friends and family? As a champion, you should have that kind of generosity. It’s much better than being stingy. How much do you need?’

‘I think I need to do some market research first.’

I need to know the unit price to set a budget.

Hmm-.

Yu Se-ra nodded.

He was a model student who was faithful to his schoolwork, and he was thorough even when buying souvenirs. But how much could souvenirs cost? When she looked around a few days ago, there wasn’t anything expensive except for commemorative coins. A $120 backpack was the most expensive thing she saw.

‘Market research? Where?’

‘Yu-jin said there’s a souvenir shop near the Centennial Stadium, so I think I can check there.’

Since it was the Olympics, she thought Olympic-related products would be better.

Jin-hyuk still kept the Hodori keychain and doll that his dad bought him during the 1988 Olympics. [Hodori is the mascot of the 1988 Seoul Olympics.]

He didn’t use them, but he sometimes fiddled with them when he saw them, and it brought back memories and made him feel good.

That summer vacation when he was taking care of baby Yu-jin, getting foot massages from Jang-gun, and doing his summer homework.

The record of his childhood that he rewrote after returning.

Whenever and wherever he reminisced, it always came back as a truly happy time.

‘Okay. Souvenirs don’t cost much anyway, so this mother will buy them for you.’

Owaaa-.

Jin-hyuk’s eyes and mouth curled up like Yu-jin’s.

He knew it, but her generosity was this great.

‘Really?’

‘What’s with you? I’m Yu Se-ra-.’

I know you’re Yu Se-ra.

‘How do you know how much I’m going to buy-.’

‘Souvenirs can’t be that expensive. You couldn’t rest or play because you were so focused on the competition.’

Foreign travel was all about spending money like water. Yu Se-ra sighed, looking at the ceiling.

If you asked what the greatest pleasure of traveling abroad was, Yu Se-ra could answer without hesitation.

The numbness that came from spending money like water, the feeling that money didn’t feel like money, that was the joy of traveling abroad….

She was also caught up in work and couldn’t enjoy the travel mood, so she could understand how frustrated Jin-hyuk, who was in his prime, must have been, as an adult who had already experienced that time.

‘There are only a few days left, so go sightseeing and buy delicious food. Ah-!’

Yu Se-ra rummaged through her bag as if she had thought of something.

‘This is a blank check from our Yu family, and you can use it in the US. Use this to pay. It’ll be billed to me.’

Blank check.

Owaaa-.

Jin-hyuk’s face changed again like Yu-jin’s.

He had seen many promissory notes while helping with his dad’s business, but this was his first time seeing a blank check.

Not a credit card, but a blank check.

‘It’s old-fashioned, but somehow cool.’

Jin-hyuk held the check with both hands like a knight receiving a sword.

‘Thank you-.’

Sss-.

‘-Mother.’

Eheheh-.

He’s such a consistent person.

*

Jin-hyuk, who had unexpectedly solved his money problem, headed to the kitchen to quench his thirst. He also needed to calm his heart, which had been surprised by the blank check.

Thump, thud-.

The sound of stepping on the dark wooden stairs.

He leaned his upper body to find the source of the sound.

‘Did she sleep after eating ramen again?’

The owner of the footsteps only twitched her swollen eyelids and couldn’t open her eyes.

She was holding the railing with one hand, scratching her neck with the other, and feeling her way down the stairs with her bare feet.

‘Did you sleep well, Su-jeong?’

At the sudden voice, Hong Su-jeong’s eyes snapped open.

Her eyes, which would have shone like jewels, flickered for a moment.

‘Aaaah-! Noooo-.’

Thump thump thump-.

Hong Su-jeong screamed as if she had found a ghost and ran back upstairs.

‘Cute.’

RB investment.

The investment firm that Hong Ki-joon set up.

No one knew the meaning of RB.

Hong Ki-joon only told Jin-hyuk by email.

‘I’m disappointed that you don’t know. It was the name saved as the speed dial number 0 for Son Jin-hyuk’s team leader contact.’

Ruby.

Red crystal.

It was a childish idea, but it was a nickname that Jin-hyuk had given him.

He thought it would be rude to use only his name since he was his superior, and it would seem impersonal to use his title as well.

In fact, not knowing the origin of RB was only in the early days when he learned about the existence of the investment firm. Jin-hyuk had also guessed. Hong Ki-joon, who used Jin-hyuk’s English name Steve as the owner of RB, wouldn’t have strayed far from that idea.

Hong Ki-joon was a man, and Son Jin-hyuk was a man.

Childish men were communicating in that way.

Anyway, that red crystal was quite coy in front of her prison oppa [Oppa is a Korean term used by females to refer to older brothers or close male friends].

‘Su-jeong-ah-.’

‘Yes, yes?’

It seemed she hadn’t gone back to her room and was hiding. Hong Su-jeong, who had gone all the way up the stairs and disappeared, peeked her head out. As if she had been waiting to be called.

‘Your right pant leg is up.’

‘I know!’

Why do people who have just gotten out of bed always have one pant leg up?

It’s a mystery that will never be solved.

‘It’s fun and peaceful!’

He was glad to be back to his daily life after the major event of the Olympics.

Ah, it’s not over yet.

***

[We will now hold the men’s 200-meter award ceremony.]

Once again, the Korean flag was hung at the top of the flagpole in the main stadium.

The flags of Namibia and Trinidad and Tobago flanked it on either side, as if protecting it.

After coming down from the podium and leaving, he said his final goodbyes to Fredericks and Bolden, who had become quite close.

He had learned from his grandfather, Cheon Gil-ryong, that gratitude and apologies should be given without hesitation, even to an excessive degree.

He taught that a person’s character was determined by such small expressions. By apologizing, you realize and learn from your shortcomings, and by expressing gratitude, you learn humility, Cheon Gil-ryong had taught.

He repeatedly expressed his gratitude for their participation in last night’s event.

‘Hyungs, I’m very thanks for joining me last night.’ [Hyung is a Korean term used by males to refer to older brothers or close male friends.]

It’s broken English, but they’ll understand this much, right?

Maybe it’s because they’re foreigners, but it wasn’t difficult to call them ‘hyung’.

‘He young?’

‘Is he young?’

Ato Bolden tilted his head.

‘The English that Son uses is fine for communication, but it’s somehow strange.’

Fredericks, who had spoken unusually long, shook his head while fiddling with his silver medal.

‘He means brother.’

‘I see. Brother.’

‘Oh yeah-. Not sister.’

Ato Bolden, who was walking swaggeringly, agreed.

Ato Bolden was like a fighting cock, but usually, he was like Fredericks’s sidekick.

‘Frank, Ato. See you in Athens next year.’

‘Don’t follow follow me at the World Championships. It was hard for me.’

‘Keep that in mind. The Trinidad and Tobago ostrich is a short-distance animal.’

Jin-hyuk’s cheeks puffed up at Ato Bolden’s banter.

People watching on TV would probably think, ‘What are they talking about so happily again?’

‘Okay. Let’s leave what happened at the Olympics at the Olympics.’

‘Oh, that’s a great expression.’

It was a line he had seen in a movie sometime. Ah, has that movie not come out yet?

When he reached the end of the red carpet, Bolden tapped Jin-hyuk on the shoulder.

‘Son, the closing ceremony is the day after tomorrow, are you going?’

‘Yeah. Probably.’

‘What are you doing today? Wanna go for a drink?’

‘I’m not old enough to drink yet.’

‘Bullshit.’

Bullshit.

‘It’s true.’

‘I know your age. That’s not what I mean.’

He probably wanted to say that there were many teenagers who drink secretly.

‘There’s meaning in following social norms.’

Oh- shiiiit……

Ato Bolden rubbed his face with a tired expression.

‘Then what are you going to do?’

‘I’m gonna……’

What’s ‘spending money like crazy’ in English?

spend a lot of money? spend money in a crazy way? The English doesn’t feel right.

That’s how Jin-hyuk’s strange English was born. To capture the flavor of his native language.

‘I’m gonna donjirar.’

‘Don jwirar?’

What is that?

Ato Bolden stared blankly at Frank Fredericks. He felt that Fredericks knew a little more about Son than he did, who lacked social skills.

‘Hey, Ato. Even if you look at me like that, I don’t know what Son is saying either.’

Judging by the pronunciation, I think it’s French, Ato. Frank, who had no idea what he was talking about, just shrugged.

‘But since it’s what Son is saying, it probably isn’t a curse or slang. It must be French.’

This kid is crazy, not a swearer like Jonathan, right?

Don Girar.

Isn’t it like a luxury brand?

‘Dennis said that Son has a bad habit of mixing English and Korean.’

‘I’m sorry-.’

‘See?’

Fredericks shrugged, and Ato Bolden pouted his lower lip and nodded.

If the taciturn Frank evaluates it that way, then that’s how it is.

Don jwirar, don jwirar. Thanks to that, I learned a fancy French word.

*

It was lunchtime when he got out of the stadium.

When there were still games left, he only had to take care of himself. But now that he had free time, the number of people he had to take care of had increased.

Yang Kang-wook and Min Yong-rak were there, but he couldn’t just pass the responsibility on to them. He looked for a souvenir shop while taking care of Hong Su-jeong and Yu-jin in the crowded crowd.

‘Oppa, should we get a hot dog? The hot dogs that that unnie [Unnie is a Korean term used by females to refer to older sisters or close female friends] makes are delicious-.’

Yu-jin, who was more aware of her surroundings than her oppa, who had been focused on the games, took on the role of guide.

‘Hot dogs are good.’

Jin-hyuk, who had been strictly managing his diet for his condition, was delighted.

Chop chop chop-.

‘Wow, it’s delicious.’

This is why people come to the Olympics!

I should come again next time.

He finished two in an instant and received his third.

Yang Kang-wook, who was standing blankly, came into Jin-hyuk’s sight as he was devouring the food, not even noticing the sauce on his mouth.

‘Team leader Yang, aren’t you eating?’

‘I’m fine with coffee.’

Yang Kang-wook felt a lump in his throat whenever he saw a hot dog.

It wasn’t just because he had eaten one a day because of Yu-jin.

People who had been watching Jin-hyuk eat his hot dog came closer.

‘Son? Is that you?’

‘Can you sign this?’

‘Can we take a picture together?’

He stopped Yang Kang-wook, who was trying to stop them, and responded to each autograph request.

‘It’s tiring work.’

Accepting and acknowledging the reality he had to face was a world apart from putting it into practice.

Still, he didn’t want to disappoint them, so he tried his best to respond to their requests. With a kind smile.

‘Congratulations on winning two gold medals!’

‘Thank you!’

He pushed through the crowd and finally found a souvenir shop.

‘Ughhh-. It’s ugly no matter how many times I see it.’

‘Oppa, it’s scary-.’

Izzy. The mascot of the Atlanta Olympics, Izzy.

Hong Su-jeong frowned at the 6-foot-tall standee, and Yu-jin hid behind her oppa.

Some American kid had burst into tears when he saw that standee.

‘Let’s go inside, there might be other things.’

When he was trying to soothe the hesitant children, Yang Kang-wook stepped in to help Jin-hyuk.

‘There’s nothing scary inside. Go look around. We’ll wait outside.’

He lightly bowed his head to Yang Kang-wook, who remained outside with Min Yong-rak, and stepped inside the store.

A female clerk with a waist wider than her shoulders was yawning.

The clerk, who had been standing with a sullen expression, widened her eyes when she saw Jin-hyuk.

‘Oh, Sooon-. Welcome-.’

‘Hello-. Do you have any souvenirs other than Izzy?’

‘Ah, of course. We have a variety of products. Dolls, T-shirts, keychains, badges, bags, and so on. What kind of item are you-.’

It was when the clerk was stammering through her response.

‘Yu-jin-ah, isn’t this pretty?’

‘Oong-. It’s pretty. It looks like Haeng-un.’

What Hong Su-jeong and Yu-jin were looking at was a T-shirt with a phoenix design.

But where on earth did it look like Haeng-un? [Haeng-un is a Korean word meaning luck or good fortune.]

‘What are those kids looking at? It looks like a phoenix.’

‘Ah! That’s a phoenix that symbolizes Atlanta. Its name is Blaze, the Paralympic mascot.’

Ah, the Paralympics are held after the Summer Olympics. The Paralympics opening is about two weeks away.

When Jin-hyuk and his group showed interest in Blaze, the clerk continued her explanation.

‘Izzy is a failure. Completely. So we removed everything except for the very basic items. Instead, we brought in the Paralympic mascot early.’

He liked it.

The design was fiery, with a dynamic atmosphere created by a mix of yellow and blue, as well as various colors in addition to red.

Above all, the image of a phoenix gave him infinite inspiration.

‘I’ll go with Blaze.’

‘Oppa, how many are you going to buy? Jeong-won would like it too.’

‘Three thousand five hundred should be enough.’

Middle school, high school, his dad’s company employees, SSS and the villagers, Eodong Elementary School, training center employees, and the health center employees, including Yu Jae-woon…. Ah, I should give one to Kim Yu-deok, the reporter, if I happen to meet him. He’s someone I’ve been connected with in some way.

‘Ehehe-. Lee Dong-ho and Kim Ho-jin would like it too-.’

‘Yu-jin’s friends are counted in the school population, and their parents are counted as villagers.’

‘Wow! My oppa is so cool!’

Hong Su-jeong’s mouth dropped open as she watched the country siblings nonchalantly checking the purchase quantity of thousands.

It’s not cool, it’s like they’re crazy.