The Genius Decided To Live An Ordinary Life [EN]: Chapter 42

“Jinhyuk-ahhhhhh!”Choi Tae-yang came to visit every day.He said he would only come until the dormitory construction was finished since he also had to prepare for the college entrance exam. Choi Tae-yang was from the last generation to take the college entrance exam.”Jinhyuk, he’s here again.”Son Kwang-yeon, who was playing Go [a strategic board game] with his son, shook his head.At that age, shouldn’t he be meeting female students or worrying about his future? Spending time hanging out with an elementary school kid in the neighborhood, he was an unusual high school student in Son Kwang-yeon’s eyes.’He’s a unique fellow, I wonder who he takes after.’He could have disliked it since he was taking away time with his son, but the kind Mr. Son Kwang-yeon still made a wrestling ring in the backyard and filled it with sand.”If you’re going to do it, you have to do it right.”Jinhyuk’s heart swelled when he heard his dad say the words he always said.While he was at it, Son Kwang-yeon also made a long jump practice area for Jinhyuk. He paved a 50m runway and called Jo Il-heon to compact it firmly with an excavator.Jinhyuk couldn’t refuse Choi Tae-yang’s request and gave him lessons every time.’Is it right for me to keep teaching this guy?’He pondered for a moment, but what did it matter? The world had already changed. He thought it was a waste of life to worry about things he couldn’t control or didn’t know.Jinhyuk did his best to plant Choi Tae-yang into the sand. There was plenty of sand, so he didn’t get hurt, and they didn’t overdo it to avoid injuries. The training focused on strategy and improving techniques.”Wow, I can’t win a single match.”Choi Tae-yang clicked his tongue, but his expression was bright.After exercising, while drinking milk, Jinhyuk cautiously offered advice.”Don’t gain weight, hyung [older brother or older male friend].”In the past, Choi Tae-yang had risen to the rank of Baekdu Jangsa [the highest rank in Korean wrestling]. However, Jinhyuk remembered that the process was not smooth at all. Choi Mi-kyung, whom he met in Seoul, often talked about her brother, mentioning that he frequently had knee injuries. Now, thinking about the sad expression Choi Mi-kyung, the married woman, had when talking about her brother, Jinhyuk felt sorry.”How did you know I was gaining weight?””Everyone in the country knows that wrestlers gain weight.”Of course, it was a lie. He knew well that anyone in a weight-class sport would lose weight. Jinhyuk said it out of concern for Choi Tae-yang’s future.He estimated Choi Tae-yang’s specs. His height would be around 185cm. His weight would probably fluctuate around 90kg. Even if he didn’t take it conservatively, wouldn’t 100kg be his ideal weight?’He’s a Geumgang or Halla class wrestler when he’s in his best condition like now.’He must have thought that the reason he couldn’t perform well in the higher weight classes was due to a lack of weight, not a lack of skill. He kept gaining weight and finally became Baekdu Jangsa and even challenged for Cheonha Jangsa [the ultimate champion in Korean wrestling]. Since he exceeded his ideal weight, he must have lived with joint injuries. Of course, there was also the effect of weight naturally increasing with age.Anyway, Choi Tae-yang’s physique was more like a muscular model with a long neck and limbs than a wrestler.”Do you want to become Cheonha Jangsa?””Isn’t that the dream of every wrestler?”The dream of joining a professional wrestling team, receiving a decent salary, and making a name for himself by winning various competitions. Even if he wasn’t the one, Jinhyuk could guess his feelings, so he nodded.”Compete with technique. If your body gets heavy, your joints will get damaged.””My joints are fine.””That’s because you’re young and your body is light now.”Jinhyuk sighed deeply. He knew that changing the mind of a stubborn person was not easy, so he wondered how to persuade him.Heugh-.Janggun, who was getting milk, also sighed.”The coach said that the rules for the Cheonha Jangsa competition might change starting next year.””How so?””It seems they’re changing it so that anyone who wants to can participate. Even lightweights. I just heard it through connections, so it’s not certain…”Jinhyuk, of course, didn’t know about this.He wasn’t interested in wrestling, and except for Choi Tae-yang, he only remembered the names of a few famous wrestlers.Still, he vaguely remembered hearing something. They had removed the restrictions on challenging for Cheonha Jangsa, hadn’t they? Of course, it didn’t seem like lightweight wrestlers participated in large numbers and caused upsets. The difference in weight class in wrestling was that absolute.’With this guy’s physique and strength…’Wouldn’t it be worth a try even if he didn’t gain too much weight? Lee Man-gi also became more famous by becoming Cheonha Jangsa in the Halla class, not the Baekdu class.Jinhyuk poured the remaining milk into the dog bowl and stood up.”Let’s do it for another hour.””Huh? Isn’t it time for you to run?””Let’s do special training.”Choi Tae-yang followed Jinhyuk without complaint.How many times had he rolled in the sand?Choi Tae-yang shook the sand off his head.”The jabchigi [a wrestling technique] is strangely confusing.””It’s not a difficult technique at all once you get used to it. It’s no different from deulbaejigi [another wrestling technique]. The reason it’s confusing is that you’re not grasping the opponent’s changes in time.”Choi Tae-yang usually relies on strength and prefers relatively easy techniques. Jinhyuk thought it was natural for him to have difficulty with other techniques.”You have to lose your balance to see the reaction…”Oops. Jinhyuk scratched the back of his head.In Judo, they also train by deliberately getting caught in techniques, but he had been trying to teach techniques without ever letting him win. He could understand Choi Tae-yang’s reaction.Hehehe-. He couldn’t help but laugh.”Ahem! Well, it’s not like I was the one who suggested wrestling first.”He had become much more brazen.It seemed like he was finally taking after his dad’s personality.”That’s true.””From now on, I’ll let you get the techniques.””I’m grateful. But where did you learn wrestling?””That…”That’s right? When did I learn it?Living alone, he had only watched the holiday wrestling tournaments every holiday. Because his friend’s older brother had participated. The mixed martial artist Bob Sapp had learned fighting techniques by watching action movies, so was Jinhyuk the same case?’I can’t even explain how I’m strong and fast.’Again, Jinhyuk couldn’t find an answer and just scratched the back of his head.*”Jinhyuk-ahhhhhh! Let’s wrestleeeeee!”Contrary to their initial promise, Choi Tae-yang came with his satba [a wrestling belt] even after the training ground construction was finished. He also never forgot to bring milk every day. He insisted it was tuition, even though he didn’t have to. It seemed like he was more enthusiastic because Jinhyuk often let him pin him while teaching techniques.”Okay, don’t worry about the sand and have fun!”Son Kwang-yeon, Han Yu-young, Yujin, and Janggun were also excited.It was because there was something to watch since two giants wrestled in the backyard almost every day.”Oh my, my. Tae-yang’s body is like Rambo’s.””Well, if I take my shirt off, I’m about that level too-“”Aish-“”Kyahaha-. Dad, Mom said aish, didn’t she?”Even his wife and daughter. It was the first time in Son Kwang-yeon’s life that he had been rebuffed by a woman.’I’m going to go astray.’ Son Kwang-yeon pulled his knees together and hugged them.Thud-!Jinhyuk, whose two legs were up in the air, fell nicely.”Kyahaha! Oppa [older brother] lost, didn’t he? You ate dirt, didn’t you? Hyung [older brother or older male friend] won, didn’t he?”Yujin seemed to laugh no matter who fell.’I have to treat him well, even for Mi-kyung’s sake.’Jinhyuk did his best as Choi Tae-yang’s training partner.He tried to hang out for half a day on weekends and even an hour on weekday evenings.Even in the fall.”Jinhyuk-ahhhhhhhh! Let’s plaaaaaay!”At school, he hung out with Choi Mi-kyung, and when he came home, he hung out with Choi Tae-yang.Even in the winter.”Jinhyuk-ahhhh! Achoo-!”Janggun no longer came out of his doghouse even when Choi Tae-yang came. He would just give him a look that said, ‘That human is here again.”Does this guy not have any friends? He said the training ground construction is all done, so why does he keep coming?’Still, Jinhyuk was happy to have someone to talk to and exercise with.***Hong Ki-joon spent more time on business trips to the United States and other countries.Even at home, he was often awake in the early morning making international calls.”…discuss it again later.”Well, it sounded like he was saying they should talk about the details when they met.If that was the case, why was he on the phone for over 30 minutes in the early morning?’Isn’t that what women do?’Yoo Se-ra, who had woken up from sleep, scratched her neck and blinked her swollen eyes. When she looked for her husband because the spot next to her was empty, she would find him in the reception room holding a phone. He had started an investment company, so what kind of investment was he working so hard on?’Has he always been that good at English?’He was someone who hid behind his wife during their honeymoon, but oh, that was in Germany and Italy, so it was natural. Yoo Se-ra shrugged, thinking that he had to be that good since he was a genius from a prestigious university.After months of learning and research, Yoo Se-ra had finished planning the talent development foundation and sports agency. She made excuses that it took a long time because she was doing it in parallel with her hotel and department store management duties. But in reality, it was because she fell asleep whenever she saw paper and letters.”Well… when you look at it closely, it’s nothing much.”She said that and then had a nosebleed.***The year passed, and he finally graduated from elementary school.On a day without a single breeze, the banner hanging tautly at the village hall shone in the sunlight.’Yongsa class… was Tae-yang hyung a Yongsa?’Did he beat the demon king and the princess too?Son Kwang-yeon’s car drove smoothly, carrying Jinhyuk, who was muttering nonsense.It was early February, but the sun was warm.Thanks to that, the graduation ceremony could be held in the schoolyard instead of the classroom.[Son Jinhyuk-.]His name was called repeatedly. He received his diploma and awards.Honor roll award, perfect attendance award, school development award, meritorious service award, top grades in all subjects, and even a scholarship from the village headmen. He received more than five albums as prizes. Son Kwang-yeon, who had taken and printed a lot of photos, smiled broadly while looking at the albums.[Ahem-. To the older sisters and brothers, please study hard even when you go to middle school. Ahem-, when you become middle schoolers, please wash yourselves a little more… Ahem-.]Jinhyuk had a fatherly smile on his face as he listened to the cute farewell speech from the representative of the younger students.After the farewell speech, Jinhyuk went up to the podium.It was his turn to give the valedictory address on behalf of the 30 graduates.[Hello.]As his clear voice spread through the speakers, the noisy schoolyard became quiet. Even though he didn’t have a wide social circle, Jinhyuk never felt intimidated in front of a microphone. It was thanks to the resilience he had developed through presentations. It could even be called experience.[…We are weak beings living in a very small world. This school was just the smallest of those worlds. But because this small school of ours existed. Because our friends, younger siblings, and teachers were here. In a safe and cozy world. We are leaving with unspeakable gratitude…]He was calm but emphasized the main message. It was a presentation habit that was ingrained in him.Kang Jin-soo grinned, and Yuk Sung-chan twitched his nose.Choi Mi-kyung looked proudly at her childhood friend.Hong Su-jeong, who had turned nine, also visited the rural school where the graduation ceremony was held with her parents.”Oppa, congratulations-!”Hong Su-jeong gave Jinhyuk a bouquet of flowers and linked arms with him. Then, with a triumphant expression, she made eye contact with each of Jinhyuk’s female classmates. Her face was smug, as if she was saying, ‘I’m a Seoul girl, and I’ve even kissed him.’Although she was no match for Jinhyuk, who had grown much taller than his mother over the winter break, Hong Su-jeong was also quite tall for her age. Nevertheless, she was still a little kid to anyone who looked at her.”Su-jeong came too? Oh my, how cute.”Choi Mi-kyung stroked Hong Su-jeong’s head. Then, she grabbed Jinhyuk’s empty arm.Hong Su-jeong couldn’t say anything and turned around, tears falling from her eyes.That’s how the ordinary graduation ceremony ended.’The world has changed.’Jinhyuk realized anew that the wind surrounding him had changed.It was unfamiliar but cozy.He took a deep breath.His family and Hong Ki-joon’s family were all looking at him.He took them all in.’This is good.’How much had he dreamed of this picture?Everyone was looking at him with affectionate eyes. With soft smiles on their faces.It was a new future.Son Kwang-yeon broke Jinhyuk’s reverie. He spread his arms wide, bringing their connections together.”Okay, now that the graduation ceremony is over, shall we go eat jajangmyeon [black bean noodles]?””They don’t eat jajangmyeon at graduation ceremonies in Seoul these days. Let’s go eat donkatsu [pork cutlet].”Hong Ki-joon laughed and teased him, saying he didn’t even know that since he had become a country bumpkin.At the same time, Jinhyuk’s face turned pale.’Donkatsu is dangerous!’Jinhyuk quickly retied his shoelaces.Son Kwang-yeon and Han Yu-young laughed, holding their stomachs.Hong Ki-joon didn’t know what was going on, but he thought it must be a good thing since his friend was laughing.”Let’s take a picture here before we go.”When they reached the main gate, Jinhyuk called his family to a stop.The graduate’s family stood in a line at the gate of the small, humble rural school.Jinhyuk also waited his turn with his family.The gate was so narrow that only one van could barely fit through.The banner, as short as the width of the gate, was heartwarming.Hong Ki-joon grabbed the camera.With the school name as the background, his mom and dad linked arms with Jinhyuk on either side, and his younger sister Yujin stood in front of Jinhyuk. Janggun, whom Jinhyuk insisted on bringing, also posed next to Yujin. He was standing diagonally with only his head facing forward, an ‘ulzzang dog’ [a dog with a cute face] angle.”Okay, we’re taking a picture. One, two-“Jinhyuk was happy.He smiled as brightly as he was happy.