The Genius Decided To Live An Ordinary Life [EN]: Chapter 94

Not long after entering the fortress forest, the car finally slowed down.

“We’re here. They’re waiting outside.”

A middle-aged man with a sharp and determined look was smiling at the entrance of the mansion.

“Oppa, is that him? He looks so young?”

“Haha, no. That’s Mr. Kwon. I met him a few times when I was in college.”

Following the directions, they parked the car in the garage, and the five family members got out.

Butler Kwon, wearing horn-rimmed glasses, offered a handshake to Son Kwang-yeon.

“It’s been a while, Mr. Kwang-yeon.”

“I’m sorry for visiting so late.”

“No, it’s alright. They’re waiting, so let’s go inside.”

They stepped inside the gate. The first thing that greeted them was a vast, forest-like garden. Sparsely placed landscaping trees were scattered across the wide lawn, and large, flat stones paved the way.

Jinhyuk, like a country bumpkin, also looked around the garden and touched the stones.

‘I’ve only seen these stones in textbooks, and they’re full of holes.’

‘Is this basalt?’

Yoojin seemed to like the garden, running around with Jang-gun. Jang-gun suddenly marked his territory on a rather large tree in the center of the garden, but thankfully, the adults were in the middle of a conversation and didn’t notice it.

“Kyahaha-! Jang-gun peed!”

The day was still long, and the sky was bright.

The elegant landscaping trees reached for the sky, making each tree look lush, like a small forest.

The family’s trip to Seoul was as peaceful as the scenery.

While looking around the garden and walking along the volcanic rocks, Jinhyuk heard his father’s booming voice.

“Please forgive me, Elder!”

Jinhyuk turned his head towards the sound, wondering what he was being asked to forgive out of the blue.

The surprises didn’t end there.

His father was bowing deeply to an old man who had come out of the entrance to greet them.

Jinhyuk wondered if he should bow as well. Then, he made eye contact with his mother, who was standing awkwardly with her hands clasped. The mother and son, sharing the same concern, looked at each other and smiled sheepishly when Chairman Yoo Myung-sun quickly approached.

“Haha! Get up, get up. Forgive what! Let me see your face properly.”

The old man helped Son Kwang-yeon up and looked at his face, touching it here and there. It was a gesture of affection, like a father seeing his long-lost son.

“Haha, you’ve become a country bumpkin. The fair young master has become a country man.”

“It’s a relief to see you looking so healthy.”

It was a reunion scene that didn’t seem particularly special. However, Jinhyuk, looking at the two men’s eyes, thought it might be a more significant meeting than it appeared. The old chairman’s eyes were getting red.

‘I don’t know well because it’s a life I haven’t lived.’

He had only heard that he was someone who had helped them when they were in trouble. Could they have such emotional reactions just for that reason? Jinhyuk was just amazed because his father also rarely talked about the past.

“Oh ho-, nice to meet you.”

Yoo Myung-sun also offered a handshake to Han Yu-young. The old man’s eyes flickered for a moment.

He also reached out his hand to Jinhyuk, who was staring at him.

“Hahaha, you’ve taken all the good parts of your parents. You seem taller than your father?”

Yoo Myung-sun, with wide eyes, looked back and forth between Son Kwang-yeon and Jinhyuk.

“I guess that’s how kids are these days. Haha!”

Son Kwang-yeon laughed happily.

No parent would dislike it when their child is complimented for being big.

“Let’s see-. Is this princess, who looks just like her mother, five years old?”

Yoo Myung-sun picked up Yoojin and made eye contact with her.

Yoojin placed her hands on the old chairman’s cheeks with a smack.

“How old is this grandpa?”

“Hehehehehe-! Old enough to have eaten a lot.”

Yoo Myung-sun, who grimaced as if his cheeks were stinging, heaved his chest.

The laughter from the cheeky little girl brought a pleasant, sharp pain to his heart.

“You must be hungry. Let’s go inside.”

Yoo Myung-sun, holding Yoojin, strode towards the mansion.

Jinhyuk, who had been observing them carefully while pretending to be indifferent,’s eyes lit up.

‘But it seems like that grandpa is looking at Mom more than Dad?’

Usually, in these situations, the child becomes the main focus.

He moved while holding Yoojin, but Jinhyuk noticed that he kept glancing at his mother.

‘That chairman knows our grandmother.’

Jinhyuk had recently seen the photos of his grandparents that his father had taken out of the safe. A handsome man and a beautiful woman in military uniforms and Western dresses were smiling, holding hands tightly in the faded photos, and the grandmother’s smile, which resembled his mother’s, was particularly striking. Jinhyuk, still shocked by that day, could guess why Yoo Myung-sun was reacting like that.

‘Indeed, that person might know something.’

He was hoping that since he was someone who existed in the past, he might also have a connection to the past.

At the dinner table, Jinhyuk took care of Yoojin so that the adults could talk comfortably. However, he kept his ears open, but there was no need to be nervous as they were just sharing casual stories about their lives.

“I heard from Hong that your advice has been a great help in his management.”

Jinhyuk looked at his father with a knowing look.

Whether it was humility or acting, Son Kwang-yeon tilted his head with a surprised expression.

“What would I know? He’s probably just saying that.”

Jinhyuk let out a hot breath through his nose at his father’s sly behavior.

‘That sly fox.’

Yoo Myung-sun, who was watching Jinhyuk taking care of his younger sister with a pleased look, glanced at Han Yu-young and then turned back to Son Kwang-yeon.

“It seems Ki-joon wants to build something in that neighborhood. He was saying something, but it’s hard for me to keep up with the times these days.”

“There’s talk of a training center, and also a security personnel training center. We’ve decided to meet this time to discuss what to do. He said we need to gather expert opinions before deciding. I’m thinking about a lease format.”

“Hmm, a lease method, huh.”

“It’s not a large area. If we do it in 50-year units, it would be good for both sides.”

“That’s right, that’s right. Other old guys would try to buy it somehow, but I like that idea.”

Yoo Myung-sun didn’t ask for additional explanations or try to persuade him. It was hard to know what kind of grandfather he was normally, but it was enough to see that he respected Son Kwang-yeon’s opinion.

Jinhyuk also obtained information he hadn’t known before.

50-year lease… If it goes as planned, there will be quite a lot of cash.

“So, I heard you’re a really good runner?”

It was a sudden question.

Jinhyuk hesitated and reluctantly nodded.

“…A little.”

He could never get used to receiving praise and attention. It was the same in the past. That’s why Jinhyuk never wanted to be famous. Now, he had a reason to become famous because of his promise with Hong Su-jeong.

“Then, is it your dream to be a track and field athlete?”

“That’s not yet-.”

Seeing Jinhyuk being hesitant, his father stepped in to help.

“He’s good at everything else, so I’m just going to leave it up to him.”

“He’s a strange fellow. He’s a grown man, but he’s so shy. You’re very different from when you were a child.”

No, I’m not, I’m not. It’s just that I don’t have much to say. Who can talk comfortably in front of a famous chairman?

Jinhyuk swallowed the words he wanted to say and cut the bulgogi [Korean marinated beef], placing it in Yoojin’s rice bowl. How could Yoojin be so comfortable and not shy at all? Just look at her eating now. She looked so comfortable, smiling all the time as if it were her own home.

“He was such a rascal when he was young, you wouldn’t believe it.”

“Then, he must have matured quickly. Or maybe it’s puberty.”

No, I’m telling you, that’s not it. Grandpa, how old am I?

Other friends would probably hear these words from adults every holiday. Then, they would retort and be told they were rude, and then they would develop a rebellious spirit. That’s probably how they distance themselves from adults.

It was Jinhyuk’s indirect experience of puberty.

Jinhyuk also felt the effects of hormones, but he was able to control them well enough. He thought that he was going through his turbulent period without any strange accidents thanks to that control. Exercise must have also played a part in that.

‘I, as a grown-up, should understand.’

Still, the newly gained daily life was very welcome.

The whole family was going on a trip to Seoul, and they were visiting the famous chairman’s house. How ordinary and happy was this daily life? The host’s house had a garden, so they could even bring their dog.

‘What is Jang-gun doing?’

Worried, Jinhyuk stretched his upper body and looked at the garden.

Jang-gun was gobbling up the meat and rice mixed by the person working at the house. It must have been so delicious that he was eating it while doing a handstand.

‘Jang-gun is really amazing.’

Oh, he fell over.

***

After dinner, they moved to the drawing room.

Han Yu-young offered to help with the dishes, but the housekeeper made such a fuss that she was chased out to the drawing room. She had an embarrassed expression, which was quite funny. As someone who had been managing a household, Han Yu-young found it difficult to understand the lifestyle of a wealthy family in Seoul.

That’s when it started.

Whenever the conversation paused, the sound of cookies being crunched dominated the drawing room. Unlike the men who were drinking tea, Han Yu-young, who was captivated by the taste of the cookies, was devouring them. Even Yoojin looked up at her mother with surprised eyes.

“Haha, is it that delicious?”

Han Yu-young, who had been chewing on cookies with wide eyes, seemed to have been momentarily lost in thought, and was startled by Yoo Myung-sun’s question.

“Ah, I didn’t realize….”

If there was a fated encounter, it would be about these cookies, Han Yu-young thought as she came to her senses.

Yoo Myung-sun’s face briefly showed the benevolent smile of Cheon Gil-ryong [a famous Korean actor known for his kind smile].

“If you like them, I’ll send them to your house every month.”

“Really?”

Looking at Han Yu-young with wide eyes, Chairman Yoo Myung-sun laughed loudly. Then, he choked and coughed, and it was hard to tell whether he was crying because of the cough or because something sad had happened, as his eyes were full of tears.

Chairman Yoo Myung-sun leaned forward as if he was about to tell a great secret, and Han Yu-young also leaned forward.

“I’m going straight to your house from Hong Kong. But, you have to keep it a secret from Sera.”

Han Yu-young nodded with a serious expression, replacing her answer.

Yoo Myung-sun winked at Son Kwang-yeon.

Son Kwang-yeon, who used to come to play with Yoo Se-ra when he was young and only looked at the books on the bookshelf in the study, was remembered by Yoo Myung-sun, who said wistfully.

“It’s been a while since you’ve been here, why don’t you go to the study?”

“Then, shall I smell the books?”

Son Kwang-yeon knew Yoo Myung-sun’s intention to let Han Yu-young eat comfortably. He touched his son’s thigh as if patting it and got up from his seat.

Finally, it was starting. Jinhyuk also followed his father.

Leaving Han Yu-young and Yoojin, who were more interested in cookies than books, the three men headed to the study.

Jinhyuk, who thought he was good at maintaining his composure, was greatly surprised by the size of Chairman Yoo Myung-sun’s study.

‘Wow, it’s huge.’

It was more like a library than a study. To exaggerate, it wouldn’t be strange if the mansion collapsed. It was a very sturdy house. Jinhyuk’s mouth wouldn’t close.

Jinhyuk, passing by his father and the old chairman who were chatting, moved to the window. He ran his finger along the long wooden table for a while, as if skating, and arrived at his destination. At the end of the table, several folded daily newspapers and a pile of reports were neatly stacked.

‘He read the newspaper in the morning.’

He glanced at the reports. It was a draft of a report written by hand, but the handwriting was so fluent that there was no difficulty in reading it. Above all, it was a handwriting that Jinhyuk was familiar with.

‘Hong Ki-joon’s handwriting.’

Chairman Hong Ki-joon sent New Year’s cards to executives and some employees every year. Jinhyuk had received them every year without fail, and most of them were handwritten New Year’s cards with messages like, “Please take care of my daughter.”

Meanwhile, Yoo Myung-sun was laughing while talking to his father, so he wasn’t paying attention to this side.

‘Why did he put important reports here?’

Ah, it’s the chairman’s residence, so there probably isn’t a more secure place than here.

Jinhyuk flipped through the reports as if he were possessed. The speed increased, and his pulse also quickened. His blood pressure even rose, and his father and Chairman Yoo Myung-sun’s conversation sounded like the wind.

<〇〇 Construction Acquisition Plan>

<2nd Generation Mobile Communication Global Market Development Strategy>