Chapter 248

Idol (6)

***

The national athletics competition by grade was decided not to be participated in.

“Jin-hyeok, can I report this to the chairman like this? Will he believe this?”

The superficial reason for not participating submitted to the foundation was a lack of training.

He urged the tadpole, who was tilting his head, to report it like that.

“It’s true that I didn’t train enough because I was playing with my younger siblings.”

Of course, it’s a lie.

It’s hard to find competitors even among upperclassmen, let alone classmates, and there are no athletes in the adult division who can compete with Jin-hyeok, so why should he participate in a competition where he is forced to compete only with classmates?

“You can be honest with me.”

“I think it’s a waste of time.”

“That doesn’t sound true either… I haven’t known you for just a day or two.”

As expected, the tadpole is sharp.

Because of the difference in skill, it’s not fun to run. Jin-hyeok, who was sparing with his words, loosely met eyes with Min Yong-rak. Jin-hyeok’s signature move, which he used in the past with team members who unnecessarily raised issues beyond the point and authority. You’ve crossed the line.

“Let’s just let it go.”

“Hmm… If I have to, I have to. The federation will be disappointed.”

People can’t be understood until they become the person in question, whether you watch them for a year or ten years. People with a firm sense of self dislike even compliments, considering them evaluations. Jin-hyeok wasn’t the type to smile without a heart even to those who judged him as if they knew him inside out.

‘Have I become a bit strange?’

Since returning, there have been many days when I laughed like a fool, but it seemed that the personality of the former team leader Son Jin-hyeok was emerging from some point.

Still, unlike in the past, he knows how to consider others’ feelings.

“I’m sorry if you were disappointed.”

“No, I’m not disappointed. It’s right to only work when it’s time to work.”

Min Yong-rak’s way of dealing with things is not easy either.

The tadpole’s survival skills were not learned with age but were instinctive.

*

An invitation came from the federation.

It was an official letter requesting participation to motivate other athletes.

However, through the agency, the intention not to participate was clearly stated again.

It was the federation that had tried to keep Jin-hyeok under its influence by any means. But now, they are asking him to participate to encourage the so-called elite athletes nurtured by the federation. It was an attitude that could only be described as shameless.

Rip rip-.

Jin-hyeok, who was sitting on the floor and checking the invitation, immediately tore it up.

“Bastards.”

Jin-hyeok had become more aggressive, to the point where it was regrettable that he didn’t know worse curses.

Hehehek-?

Jang Gun-i, who was playing with a mole cricket with his front paws, showed a disappointed expression on his face.

“Sorry. I wasn’t talking to you, Jang Gun-i.”

The national athletics competition hosted by the Minister of Culture and Sports was the national competition Jin-hyeok chose. There was also the purpose of not playing along with the federation’s demands, but the competition based on academy sports did not attract as much attention as the minister’s competition.

‘I want to make history with my own hands.’

No, with my legs, not hands.

It wasn’t the desire to be noticed.

But he was already being noticed.

In the past, it was enough to just be happy and enjoy himself alone, but now there are many eyes watching and people expecting. Especially, knowing how juniors look at him, symbolic achievements were necessary.

The dominant opinion was that he had already achieved enough and should take it easy.

Once, Jin-hyeok thought so too and planned to enjoy it slowly.

But after living without that dangerous power for a few months, greed raised its head. Perhaps that energy was unknowingly suppressing Jin-hyeok’s humanity. To prevent his personality from being expressed as it should.

“Hmm. I think it’s a good choice. There’s no age division, and if selected as a representative by the county office, you can participate in the general division.”

“Why is it complicated to participate in the general division?”

“Although there hasn’t been such an athlete yet, if you lose to high school or college athletes, it would be embarrassing for a professional athlete. It’s probably those without skills who make such a fuss.”

“It’s not the athletes who decided, right? Wasn’t it the federation or association’s policy?”

“That’s what they say. From what I see, it was more of a convenient measure than a policy for the athletes. You know how it is. Step-by-step nurturing federation! Athletes growing step by step! What a great promotional material! This country dislikes skipping grades. They don’t look kindly at those who try to stand out alone. If they want to stand out so much, they should run themselves.”

Ah, that makes sense.

How many times have we seen athletes giving their all, while those who watch and criticize later boast about how they nurtured them, and if it doesn’t go well, they point fingers and say that’s why it didn’t work out. It’s not just a problem in sports, nor is it a problem unique to any one country.

In slang, it’s called ‘showing off.’

It’s a behavior that can be observed anywhere people gather.

“Jin-hyeok, look at this. This is data from the US and UK. In those countries, if you have the skill, they don’t care about age. If you have the skill, you can participate in both junior and senior competitions.”

“What can I do? Athletes have no power, so they just run in the field that’s been created.”

“Yeah. Unless you’re going to overturn it, it’s right to at least pretend to comply.”

You have a rebellious streak but are also obedient to the system, a contradictory human. Min Yong-rak muttered.

Jin-hyeok, who chuckled, pretended not to hear Min Yong-rak’s babbling, which sounded like Jang Gun-i’s sleep-talking, and continued the conversation.

*

A positive reply came directly from the county office.

“It’s good that the county selected me as a representative for the general division.”

“The county should be grateful to you. Until now, they didn’t even have athletes for the national sports festival, so some flower shop owner and stationery store owner from the town went as athletes.”

The fast players from the youth association’s soccer team participated as track and field athletes. The result was, well, they said participation was meaningful.

It was understandable since there were no sports teams other than the wrestling team.

“Anyway, Manager Min, you must have worked hard preparing. Please take care of it.”

“Hey, hey. What hard work? This place feels like home now. It’s sad that I have to go to Seoul in the fall.”

Min Yong-rak’s assignment to Seoul was decided.

It was a condition for promotion to section chief, and it was necessary for his future and his fiancée.

“But I’ll manage your schedule for every competition, so don’t worry.”

“Yes. I trust you.”

Who else would I trust?

A decent person who, in his past life, would go to great lengths for the team leader.

Whether good or bad, he’s my person.

*

Ahead of the competition, a drastic change was made to the exercise routine.

First, the daily morning climb up Gubong Mountain was removed, and morning exercise was changed to stretching and a light aerobic program at home.

Since the physical strength allocated to training is limited, overdoing it could cause problems with the next day’s condition. The ability to pour all your strength into 10 seconds is important, but to keep the body rhythm at its peak, it’s more important to keep the body awake, so-called arousal state, rather than training to the limit.

After finishing night self-study and running along the riverside track after school, and finally measuring the 100m record, the day’s exercise ends much more comfortably than before.

「9.97」

A fairly usable record came out even though it wasn’t the best condition.

“Is this broken?”

“It seems correct. Now it’s Manager Min’s time to exercise.”

After finishing the day’s record measurement, he drags Min Yong-rak, whose mouth is wide open, and starts a belly fat reduction program. There was an order from Hong Ki-jun to lose belly fat by fall and come up to Seoul.

“My stomach hurts, maybe I overdid it yesterday.”

“Muscle pain is the surest proof of exercise.”

And muscles are the true lifelong partner.

Tadpole-bellied Min Yong-rak, for a man, has a lot of fat, so abdominal stimulation exercises and power walking are the entirety of the exercise program.

If he did anaerobic exercises like aerobic ones like Jin-hyeok, he would clearly collapse, so he does it with low intensity.

“Ugh-. Save me-.”

You’re not a person. You’re a tadpole.

The fate of a tadpole is either metamorphosis or death, and to metamorphose Min Yong-rak into a frog, Jin-hyeok became a trainer himself.

Teaching is learning twice. Watching someone else’s body and seeing the muscles stimulated during exercise to find what to apply to oneself is also a form of training for Jin-hyeok.

“One more-.”

“J-Jin-hyeok hyung-! S-save me······.”

“Hey, you! No, five more!”

Where’s the trick?

*

Gubong Mountain was climbed on all fours only on weekends. It’s the most effective exercise for building stamina and training the whole body, but there wasn’t enough time and energy to do it on weekdays.

On weekends, five dogs, including Jang Gun-i, followed Jin-hyeok.

Huff-, huff-, huff-.

Hehehek-. Huff huff-.

The perfectly capable walkers bent their front legs and climbed the mountain with their butts raised like Jin-hyeok, which looked very much like mocking to Jin-hyeok.

“Huff huff-. Hey, Jang Gun-a. Aren’t you going too far? Why are you following me-. Huff huff-.”

Woof-.

What’s he saying.

Jang Gun-i’s snorting expression is always insulting. That face makes you wonder if he’s really a dog. I once imagined that there might be a zipper somewhere on Jang Gun-i’s body, and if you opened it, an alien would come out.

It was a good spectacle for hikers.

“Oh my-? Look at the dogs.”

“Ahaha-. Are they following their owner?”

Woof-! Woof!

This guy is following us! Don’t pretend to know when you don’t, you bastard!

“Oh my, how cute-.”

No one understands Jang Gun-i’s words, so they just think he’s a happy dog enjoying the attention. It’s natural for people to think that way since they don’t understand dog talk. Jang Gun-i wagged his tail so hard it almost fell off while barking like that.

“Wow-, that’s the athlete-.”

“Ah-, what a pity! It’s awkward to ask for an autograph since he’s exercising!”

Due to the increased number of hikers because of the rumor that Son Jin-hyeok was training, it seemed necessary to develop a new climbing course. Not because he dislikes attention, but because the exercise posture is embarrassing.

Due to the posture, blood rushed to his face, turning it red, and Jin-hyeok stood up abruptly.

“Here. I’ll give you an autograph.”

“Ah, this is. I didn’t say it out loud for you to hear.”

“It’s okay.”

You said it out loud but now you’re backing off.

It’s not a bother for Jin-hyeok either since he can catch his breath while signing. It’s not like signing costs money.

“My daughter is a fan-. Out of all the singers, she thinks the exercising oppa is cool.”

“My daughter wishes there were only athletics competitions instead of basketball tournaments.”

Even if it’s lip service, it was appreciated.

Only athletes can empathize with how much a word of encouragement means to an athlete. Jin-hyeok truly realized how much a single cheer while passing by can move an athlete after he seriously entered the path of an athlete.

“Oppa, drink some water-.”

Yoo Jin rummaged through her bag and handed him water.

Thanks to Yoo Jin, who carried a small bag and followed her oppa, the exercise became much easier.

“Oh my, was she your sister? Oh my, how cute-.”

“Hehehe-.”

“Kid, here, buy something tasty without telling your mom.”

“Uncle, thank you-.”

When the hikers handed over bills, it was a profitable business for Yoo Jin too.

If her mom found out, she would jump around and tell her never to take money or follow her oppa to exercise again, but Jin-hyeok discreetly turned a blind eye to his sister’s side job. Aren’t they sharing a secret? Yoo Jin also has a solid sense of economy and doesn’t spend money recklessly. It must be the influence of being taught by her parents to use resources effectively even before entering school.

“Kid, there’s a lot of kudzu on this mountain. Be careful.”

“Kudzu? Why should I be careful of kudzu?”

Right. Why should we be careful of kudzu?

Thanks for the pocket money, but you’re a strange uncle.

“Are you too young to know? Kudzu watches from the trees and when kids pass by, it grabs their necks-”

“Ehehe, it must be a wildcat. Wildcats are called ‘sak’ in Korean-. Don’t adults know that?”

Jin-hyeok caught his breath and played dumb. Smart Yoo Jin will handle it.

At first, I thought the uncle was joking. The joke that kudzu vines wrap around ankles or necks like tentacles. But looking at his expression, the uncle was serious.

“No, it’s kudzu-.”

“Sak! It’s called sak! Kudzu is that! That!”

Yoo Jin’s specialty came out.

Squeak-!

Yoo Jin, raising her voice, pointed at the withered kudzu vine.

“Cheong Gil-rong Habiji said it. People who don’t know properly but treat what they learned strangely as truth will be greatly humiliated later. Uncle, you should learn properly now.”

“Wh-who is Cheong Gil-rong?”

“You don’t even know Cheong Gil-rong Habiji, and you’re an adult?”

That’s a bit much. Jin-hyeok thought he should stop Yoo Jin.

But Yoo Jin was so high-spirited that the uncle, who said he would look into it again, was the first to back off.

“Yoo Jin, just ignore it. Dad said that too.”

Don’t try to teach fools.

Leaving them to live and die as they believe is also a consideration for them.

“Yes, hehehe-.”

Yoo Jin will also learn to ignore as she grows older. For now, she’s too young and stubborn to keep her mouth shut.

“Where’s Seol-chan?”

“At the entrance. He’s looking for bellflowers with Eun-jeong unni.”

Every night, he wanders the beach looking for UFOs, and now he’s looking for unidentified bellflowers. They’re really having fun. Probably playing piggyback in secluded places while pretending to look for bellflowers.

I didn’t know Kim Eun-jeong had such a hobby, but she liked being carried by Jo Seol-chan like a child. Probably because she grew up in an environment with many uncles. Now that she’s grown up, the uncles don’t carry her anymore, so she must be getting piggybacks from the easy-going Jo Seol-chan.

No wonder the look in her eyes when she saw Jin-hyeok carrying Yoo Jin was strange. She must have been envious of Yoo Jin. If I had carried her then, it would have been a disaster.

Anyway, Kim Eun-jeong is as peculiar a teenager as Choi Mi-kyung.

‘The neighborhood seems to have a strange vibe.’

And Jo Il-heon’s strange brainwashing seems to have left several kids abandoned.

“Then why are you following me-. Huff huff.”

Whew-.

Even though the air is still cold, the body temperature that rose once doesn’t easily drop.

When lowering body temperature, pouring water on the crown is more effective than drinking it.

Splash-.

“Whew-! I’m alive.”

Anyway, Jo Seol-chan became busy on weekends to hang out with Jin-hyeok, and Kim Eun-jeong became busy to hang out with Jo Seol-chan.

Truly wholesome teenagers.

“Let’s go again.”

“Let’s go!”

Yoo Jin, riding on her oppa’s back, kicked his side as if spurring a horse.

When climbing the mountain, he carries Yoo Jin. It was the exercise method chosen by Jin-hyeok, who, despite having drained some unknown energy, still possesses superhuman physical strength.

Yoo Jin also has athletic abilities beyond her age, and her skill in holding her oppa’s upper body with her thighs and balancing with her waist is remarkable.

“Yoo Jin could be an equestrian. Huff huff-.”

“Yah-!”

No, that doesn’t mean you should treat your oppa like a horse.

It must have been just words when you said your oppa was like the sun and the moon.

What kind of younger sister treats the sun and moon like this?

“Huff-, should I buy you a horse with the money I earn?”

“Nooo? I like oppa more!”

The trick doesn’t work.

“Hahaha! Yah!”

Should I do a backward fall while carrying her? I’m so tired I can’t even speak.