The Genius Decided To Live An Ordinary Life [EN]: Chapter 295

“Wow-. What is all that-.”

Son Kwang-yeon exclaimed with a laugh.

And why wouldn’t he? Every intersection they passed was adorned with countless banners, all waving, ‘Look here, look here!’

「Tae-yang County’s Pride! Son Jin-hyuk Returns Home in Glory!」 – Tae-yang County Youth Association.

「Tae-yang Town’s Pride, Son Jin-hyuk! Two-Time Olympic Track and Field Champion!」 – Tae-yang Town Business Association.

「Tae-yang High School’s Pride…」 – Tae-yang High School Alumni Association.

「Hwan! Tae-yang Ssireum [Korean wrestling] Team’s Deputy Manager Returns Home in Glory!」

That one was obviously put up by the ssireum team.

「Tae-yang Middle School’s Pride…」 – Tae-yang Middle School Alumni Association.

「Eodong Elementary School’s Pride!」 – All Alumni of Eodong Elementary School.

At this rate, even the kindergartens would join in.

Of course, Choi Mi-kyung and Kim Eun-jung wouldn’t miss out on this fun.

「So Proud of You, Friend!」 – All 2nd Graduates of Eodong Elementary School’s Attached Kindergarten.

Th-that’s enough!

No matter how I think about it, it’s a million times fortunate that I was born at home.

If I had been born in a hospital, even my newborn nursery classmates would have put up banners.

‘It’s a bit tacky, but it feels good. I’m proud.’

Hehehe-.

Jin-hyuk, who was chuckling with a slightly perverse snort, dropped his jaw when he spotted another banner as they left the town.

「Welcome to Jaedong-ri, Where the Footsteps of the Speed of Light Human Live and Breathe!」

Is this some kind of historical site?

Under the banner, there was a kind explanation: 「The Road Son Jin-hyuk Takes to School Every Day」.

“Hahahahahahaha!”

Son Kwang-yeon, who had no sense of Jin-hyuk’s speed, burst into laughter.

His laughter reached its peak as they passed the public health center.

「The Place Where Son Jin-hyuk’s Personal Physician Works」

Wow, Yu Jae-woon, seriously…

“Hahahahahahaha!”

Even though Yu-jin and Jung-won woke up from their nap because of the noise, Son Kwang-yeon’s laughter showed no signs of stopping.

They arrived at the training center, having safely preserved their cringing fingers and toes.

“There are a lot of people here….”

“It’s a relief that the entire nation didn’t come.”

Yu Tae-hwa, shaking his head from the driver’s seat, made him realize the magnitude of his achievement once again.

With that level of interest, it was no wonder they held a parade in downtown Seoul and treated him like a national hero.

It was probably nothing for Chairman Yoo Myung-sun, but he seemed to have really enjoyed the thrill and style of spending money.

Chefs in white and red uniforms were endlessly putting on fire shows, creating a feast.

The training center yard was filled with delicacies that were hard to see normally, and the residents were already having a party.

‘If I run away because I’m tired, I’ll be a jerk.’

These were the people who cheered him on from afar.

Even if he had no appetite, it was his duty to show his face and express his gratitude. This situation was also a result of Jin-hyuk’s actions, so he had to take responsibility.

「The fireflies do not fear the power I wield.

The power of Hong Ki-joon that they fear comes from capital, technology, force, and connections.

However, the ordinary people who make up the public look up to and follow Hong Ki-joon.

My authority comes from my responsible attitude.

You know this better than I do.

To avoid taking responsibility, Team Leader Son Jin-hyuk has remained single his entire life…」

This guy always hits me where it hurts.

That’s not it, I just didn’t form relationships because I don’t like people.

Anyway, taking responsibility for his actions was the first thing Jin-hyuk considered a condition of being human.

“Hey-! Ji-neck is here-!”

“I’m here too-! I am Son Yu-jin! I’m back safely-!”

Yu-jin quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply.

Jin-hyuk also bowed repeatedly to express his gratitude.

“Thank you. Thank you.”

Like this…

He was back to reality.

He might be an absolute being on the track, but in the village, he was no different from a neighborhood kid.

Starting with Chun Gil-ryong, the oldest person in the village, followed by Chairman Yoo Myung-sun, the head of the senior citizens’ association, the village chief, the neighborhood chief, the youth association president, the women’s association president…

“Who is that, hyung?”

“I am…”

“This place is really big and there’s a lot of delicious food, right? It looks like someone’s getting married!”

“Yeah, it does…”

He greeted all the other kids from the neighborhood, who were similar in size to Jung-won but spoke well.

And then.

Woof-!

It wouldn’t be complete without Jang-gun.

‘Did he bring all the neighborhood dogs?’

Hehehe-.

“Okay, okay. Oh my, our Jang-gun! Did you miss your hyung!”

After petting the neighborhood dogs that Jang-gun had brought, he slumped down in a corner seat.

The people of his hometown were truly unique.

They welcomed him as if he were the most precious guest in the world, but once the greetings were over, they returned to their places and laughed and chatted as usual. It was a stark contrast to the school friends who glanced at him and the fans who tried so hard to make eye contact.

It didn’t seem to be just because of the difference between adults and teenagers.

Look at Choi Mi-kyung and Kim Eun-jung, they each punched Jin-hyuk in the stomach and then went back to their own conversations. Choi Mi-kyung was talking about trigonometric functions, and Kim Eun-jung was talking about the UFO conspiracy behind the plummeting calf prices.

‘It’s like everyone is shouting, ‘I am the main character of my life.”

That’s why he didn’t feel burdened when he was with them.

They always treated Jin-hyuk comfortably, as one of the people around them, not as the main character.

“Jung-won-! Try to catch your sister-.”

“Aeh-ah-pah-pah-pah-boo-ah-ack!”

Watching Yu-jin and Jung-won running around the fountain in the training center yard, playing tag, he realized once again that he had returned.

‘Home is the best after all.’

That’s why they say home is the best, and you only know its value after leaving it. Even when Jin-hyuk was home, he missed home, and even when he didn’t go anywhere, he felt a longing for his hometown. Like a stray animal on the street, craving love.

Jo Seul-chan approached Jin-hyuk, who was smiling contentedly.

“Ji-neck-.”

“Yeah. Seul-chan, did you eat a lot?”

“I’m done eating, let’s go build the boat-. I can’t swallow anything because I keep thinking about that boat.”

Should I just run away?

***

Back in the days when Jin-hyuk was a company worker, there was a reporter who got a lot of flak for reporting that going to work briefly on Sunday was effective in combating Monday blues.

‘There were even those who reported news like ‘sausage bread on rainy days,’ right?’

But when Jin-hyuk actually tried it, it did have the effect of combating Monday blues.

Of course, everyone knows that the flaw is that you lose your precious weekend rest.

Anyway.

The best way to return to daily life without any aftereffects is to do what you always do.

Tuk-tuk-.

A day passed.

“Oppa-. Are you building the boat?”

“Yeah. I promised Yu-jin, didn’t I?”

A month passed.

“Oppa-.”

“I’m building it-.”

Two months passed, and even as three months passed and the cold wind blew.

“Ung-ah-. Are you building the boat, itcha-itcha?”

“Yeah. I’ll give a ride to our Jung-won too. It’s cold, go inside-. Our baby’s nose is running.”

“Okay-.”

Even when the snow was falling heavily.

“Let it go- let it go-.”

“Ji-neck, what song is that?”

“Ah-! Seul-chan, red sun! Forget it!”

Even after the new calendar was replaced, Jin-hyuk was engrossed in building the boat whenever he had time.

It was partly to keep his promise with his younger siblings, but it was also because the desire to go on an adventure had been planted in his heart after his trip to the United States.

However, building the boat was just one of his daily goals, and it couldn’t be a priority.

He was still a student.

He was still faithful to his school life.

He took classes with his friends, took exams, and presided over student council meetings.

“Everyone, our literary club president, who is also our secretary, must be having wrist pain from taking notes, so please slow down your speaking speed a little-.”

“Hey, president. They’re all from Chungcheong-do [a region in South Korea], how fast can they be? I’m about to die waiting for them to speak.”

“Ah, is that so? Please continue. Sorry.”

After dinner before night self-study, taking a walk near the school with his friends was also precious. Thanks to his constant patrols, the guys who bullied or extorted other students near the school had disappeared. Ensuring the safety of students near the school was also his responsibility as the person who abolished the disciplinary committee.

“It’s still cold even though school has started. It’s because those UFOs are spraying chemtrails. They’re trying to bring on an ice age and wipe out humanity.”

“Eun-jung, my oppa says that high school is always cold until the next student council president is elected.”

“Huh? President! Isn’t that a flasher?”

While walking, they would often witness perverted sex offenders.

When they reported it to the police, they would just say it was because it was a school with female students and leave. They didn’t seem to understand that they were asking for action, not an analysis of the cause.

So now, they don’t report it, and Lee Seung-hoon runs forward, shaking the ground.

Doo-doo-doo-doo-!

Like a wild rhinoceros, he would overtake the suspicious person and fling open the flasher’s long coat.

It’s not that the kind Lee Seung-hoon is charging in with his near-superhuman physical strength.

“Whoa! Look at this old man! He’s making a fuss with something that’s just a little dick! Everyone in the neighborhood! Look here-!”

Lee Seung-hoon, being a smart honor student, launches a mental attack.

“Mister. You should be showing off something worth showing off, I think-.”

“Where! Where! Seung-hoon! I want to see too! Let go of me!”

“Is he an alien? Let me observe him-. President, move. Just once-. Ugh-.”

It was Jin-hyuk’s job to cover and block Choi Mi-kyung and Kim Eun-jung every time.

One arm for each of them. They struggled to get out, but their resistance was as cute as struggling chicks.

“…Hold it in. That old man is running away crying.”

“Mister-! Your shoes fell off-!”

Thanks to Jin-hyuk and his friends, the area around the school was peaceful today as well.

*

“Seul-chan, I’m going to the competition, so don’t build it alone.”

“Okay-, I will.”

As the year changed, he agreed with Yoo Se-ra to appear more frequently in domestic competitions.

The words of his fellow students he met at the competition were the starting point for that decision.

“It would be nice to see you often.”

He thought they would be wary of Jin-hyuk because of the difference in skill and recognition. Jealousy or envy, that is.

But the other athletes thought differently.

“A lot of people come when you participate. It’s like a picnic, it’s fun.”

“It motivates us too.”

Linford Christie, whom he often talked to on the phone, said that it was the power of having someone to look up to within reach. It was no different from a child who grew up to be a great adult by taking the great image of their parents as an example.

– People think that someone who lives far away in a foreign country or on the moon is like that. But imagine a medalist hanging around in front of you. You start to think, ‘Maybe I can be like that too?’ The Tajo from Trinidad and Tobago and the Rocket Man from Canada grew up watching me, meeting me at the same competitions. In Thorn’s case, it’s even more special for the Korean athletes. He’s the same age and lives nearby. I guarantee that Korea will dominate the track in the future. Coaches? You don’t need them. One idol is enough. It’s not that Americans are good at basketball because they have a lot of coaches. It’s because there are basketball courts, basketballs, and a lot of idols who have succeeded in basketball that they keep doing well.

The phenomenon of children who used to play ttakji [a Korean game with folded paper tiles] or games now having running races whenever there is an open space was proof of that.

If that was the case, wouldn’t it be his duty to participate more often and compete more fiercely?

[Taang-!]

Wow-!

「New Competition Record 9.65」

「New Korean Record 9.65」

「New World Record 9.65」

「Son Jin-hyuk of Tae-yang County」

The fact that the Korean record was also the world record gave the people pride and the athletes a sense of upliftment and challenge.

It wasn’t like the others were just playing around either, and many young athletes were breaking into the late 9-second range in the 100m event.

「Kang Yoon-dan of Chuncheon City Hall, 100m 9.95!」

「Jung Hyun-seop of Gyeongnam Sports High School, 100m 9.89!」

An American columnist even commented that Asian track and field had become Americanized.

The biggest credit, without a doubt, went to the athletes themselves, who gritted their teeth and devoted themselves to training. The highly motivated athletes trained even more relentlessly than before, to the point of being called tenacious.

The training methods developed with inspiration from Jin-hyuk also had an impact. They watched videos to correct their posture, studied breathing, and thought about how to use their joints and muscles more efficiently.

However, the story wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the spike shoes, which are the entirety of track and field equipment. Major global media outlets highlighted the efforts of various companies that had worked quickly behind the scenes in collaboration with General.

「Here lies the secret to the flurry of new records.」

The column with the above title turned the sports world upside down.

The interest in Jin Sun-kyu and Jin-hyuk’s colorful spikes, which had cooled down after the Olympics, was reignited.

「…The beginning of the secret lies here. From a company that has taken over a small city in Korea… This is a strange symbiotic relationship reminiscent of a drug cartel… The representative of the company, which has taken the name General, giving off the image of a dictator…」

What are these idiots saying?

They’re only receiving royalties to avoid a monopoly.

Jin-hyuk, who was reading the column, wiped his face with his palm.

‘The domestic media is going to translate this as it is, aren’t they…’

It was something he had never expected when he recommended the business to his father.