Chapter 149

Suddenly, the sadness that had lifted its head made me skip my morning workout. Even after the completion of the bear project, I never skipped exercise, no matter the weather. But this time, it felt like a stormy ocean was churning in my chest. I knew that peaceful thoughts could be managed with proper exercise, but my breathing was unusually out of control, and I was worried my body rhythm might break. I had no motivation either.

Ssshh— Hoo— Hoo—.

I sat cross-legged on the bed until I heard Duck Johnson Jr. crying and Jang Gun-i scolding the lazy dogs.

‘Time to go to school.’

Even though the crimson heat that had filled my heart had subsided, I couldn’t just throw my life away. Despite the unexpected joys and sorrows, life had to go on.

If I were a weaker person, I might have abandoned life early or lived carelessly, becoming a wreck or a monster. But Jin-hyuk wasn’t that fragile; he had become a different person from his past life.

“Hehehehe-, it’s vacation.”

A different person in a slightly different sense. Well, different is different.

Jin-hyuk pedaled his bike hard, trying to clear the clouds in his head.

Uphill, downhill, curves, and straight roads.

The path he took every day was so unpredictable that it couldn’t be interpreted as a two-dimensional plane, no matter how you looked at it.

But no matter how long and winding the roads humans built, they couldn’t be as three-dimensional as the twists and turns of life. The 10-kilometer distance had already condensed into a single point in Jin-hyuk’s mind. At best, it was like a stepping stone to cross a stream.

“Whee-! Feels refreshing!”

Jin-hyuk, who had overtaken a slow-moving car, finally arrived at school.

The sorrow from last night had turned to ash and settled quietly.

Thoughts tend to disappear when you focus on the present reality, even if you don’t deliberately try to clear them. Of course, there are individual differences, but Jin-hyuk was terrifyingly specialized in that area.

‘Focus, focus. There’s a lot to take care of.’

Third-year middle school students had supplementary classes during summer vacation to prepare for high school entrance exams. You might wonder what kind of supplementary classes a rural middle school could offer, but don’t underestimate it. The so-called gifted students were aiming for science high schools or prestigious private high schools, while those aiming for humanities high schools were studying to get into Taeyang High School.

But if they were to do a training camp, Jin-hyuk and his friends wouldn’t be able to attend the supplementary classes. Students should study, and they couldn’t neglect their primary duty because of sports.

Before the first period even started, Jin-hyuk went to find Chae Kyu-ho.

The noisy classroom quieted down as Jin-hyuk entered, parting like the Red Sea.

“Hello, Class 3?”

“Uh-, hello, President.”

The students greeted him with puzzled looks, surprised that the student council president was greeting them first. It wasn’t illegal for friends to greet each other, but it felt strange because it was Son Jin-hyuk.

Chae Kyu-ho, the head of the student council’s arts department, was delighted.

“Huh? What brings you here, President?”

“Did the sun rise from the west?”

“The sun always rises from the west! Well, technically, the sun stays still, and the Earth rotates-.”

“Ah, never mind. Did you get the results for the science high school?”

Jin-hyuk quickly cut off Chae Kyu-ho, who was getting sidetracked.

Even the model student Chae Kyu-ho was an unavoidable teenage boy. These teenage boys are like rubber balls; it’s hard to have a steady conversation on one topic.

“Not yet. They said it’ll come out during the vacation, after Liberation Day. That’s how it was for my brother too.”

Chae Kyu-ho had already taken the entrance exam for the science high school.

Jin-hyuk had no doubt that Chae Kyu-ho would pass. Among the few students who took the exam, Chae Kyu-ho’s academic performance and intelligence were undoubtedly the best.

‘He’s the smartest person I’ve ever seen.’

Chae Kyu-ho had both academic passion and creative application skills.

With a family history of academic excellence and having received tutoring from Jin-hyuk throughout middle school, Jin-hyuk even felt that teaching Chae Kyu-ho was unnecessary. But Chae Kyu-ho insisted on studying together until graduation.

They say a man’s word is worth a thousand gold, but no matter how much Jin-hyuk thought about it, he couldn’t remember promising to teach Chae Kyu-ho until graduation. He only remembered promising Shin Woo-sung and Lee Seung-hoon.

Of course, the world is wide, and there are many people.

There are talents better than Chae Kyu-ho everywhere.

Jin-hyuk recalled the plan he had instilled in Chae Kyu-ho.

“You know what happens if you say you’re going to medical school, right?”

“Eh, why would I?”

Chae Kyu-ho’s older brothers had all gone to medical school.

But despite his seemingly gentle personality, Chae Kyu-ho was stubborn. At home, he didn’t study much and was engrossed in hobbies like assembling plastic models and building RC cars.

Fortunately, Chae Kyu-ho’s parents were lenient with their youngest son. With his good academic performance, there was no reason to oppose him.

“Wouldn’t your parents object?”

“My mom and dad are too old to nag now.”

Jin-hyuk had barely convinced Chae Kyu-ho to aim for the science high school instead of Taeyang High School. Chae Kyu-ho thought that if he went to Taeyang High School with Jin-hyuk, he wouldn’t have to go to cram schools or get private tutoring.

It was a misunderstanding.

Jin-hyuk was the type to memorize, so middle school was easy for him, but he wasn’t confident about high school academics. In his past life, he had only clung to studying as the only way to survive.

Well, if Chae Kyu-ho’s dream was to become a scholar, Jin-hyuk might be able to help. But Chae Kyu-ho clearly had the blood of an engineer.

“Anyway, don’t forget our promise.”

“Ah, don’t worry. My brothers are the ones who need to worry. The youngest can get away with anything, right? There’s a saying: the youngest son of a rich family can do whatever he wants.”

Chae Kyu-ho, with his thick head, retorted.

‘Is there such a saying?’

Jin-hyuk tilted his head.

It felt like witnessing a bizarre hybrid of a zombie and a cyborg.

Chae Kyu-ho said his dream was to become a robotics engineer.

Jin-hyuk had explained the scholarship support system that the Sein Group would implement and repeatedly emphasized the opportunity to nurture his dream. The possibility of studying abroad in the U.S. was tempting for anyone.

“If you know anyone like you, don’t forget to recruit them.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll reel them in-.”

Chae Kyu-ho, with his sly tone, delivered an out-of-place joke.

Despite his innocent appearance, there was a cunning fox inside him. Jin-hyuk filled a piece of his future plan with Chae Kyu-ho.

He had forgotten his original purpose while chatting.

Jin-hyuk finally revealed why he had come.

“Did you bring what I asked for?”

“Of course! Who do you think I am?”

Jin-hyuk had asked Chae Kyu-ho to summarize and bind the notes they had taken together since the first year. Since Chae Kyu-ho’s entrance exam was earlier than others’, it would also be a good review opportunity for him.

“Thanks. It must have been a hassle.”

“Thanks? It’s something we made together, President.”

Jin-hyuk planned to use the materials Chae Kyu-ho had made for his friends during the training camp.

Chae Kyu-ho brought five thick books from his locker.

“President, here’s your change.”

“Keep the change.”

“What······.”

Chae Kyu-ho stared blankly at Jin-hyuk, who was already walking away with the books under his arm.

‘The President really has no sense of reality.’

Not only did he give a 100,000 won check for binding, but he also told me to keep nearly 80,000 won in change. The copying and binding costs didn’t even add up to that much.

Well, the President, who has no sense of reality and no fear, probably beat up the seniors in the first year.

‘He’s not going to ask for interest later, is he?’

If I ever owe the President, who’s going to save me······.

Even if a bunch of us ganged up, we wouldn’t stand a chance.

Just thinking about it was terrifying.

Chae Kyu-ho, holding the money, stood still for a while, shuddering at the nightmare of his first year.

Then, after checking the amount, his mouth stretched to his ears.

Hehe-.

With this money, how many BB guns could I buy?

Should I buy some Legos?

***

Not all students from Taeyang Middle School go to Taeyang High School. High schools are divided into male and female classes, and the total number of students is reduced, so more than half of Taeyang Middle School’s students have to go to other high schools. Moreover, students from other regional middle schools also apply, making the competition ratio for Taeyang High School exceed 3:1.

“Then, Park Sang-ki, Yeom Byeong-taek, and Jo Seol-chan will stay at Son Jin-hyuk’s house for the training camp, and the supplementary classes during the vacation will be excluded. The homeroom teachers should be aware of this-.”

“Vice Principal, is that okay?”

Jo Seol-chan’s homeroom teacher asked.

“The top student is tutoring them, so what’s there to worry about? They’re not going to drink and play; they’re preparing for the track and field competition.”

“Yes.”

Jin-hyuk had already gotten permission from his parents and the school.

He never thought he could use his position as student council president like this, but thanks to the vice principal, who had built a good relationship with Jin-hyuk, the training camp plan was easily pushed forward.

On the first day of vacation, friends gathered at the school playground.

Since the track and field team had also gotten permission in advance, there were no absentees.

Jin-hyuk, who had been waiting, greeted his friends.

Moon Seok-il and Kim In-rang, who had each driven their cars, loaded the friends’ bags into the trunks.

“Wow-, nice car-.”

“Seol-chan, did you get your grandma’s permission?”

“Ah-, of course! She was happy when I said I was going to Jin-hyuk’s place! But do I really not have to pay?”

“If you keep talking about money, I’ll make you sleep in the doghouse?”

Jin-hyuk chuckled as he loaded Seol-chan’s bag into the trunk.

With the proud Jang Gun-i around, Seol-chan wouldn’t be able to share a room, so he’d have to sleep on the first floor of the doghouse. With three large dogs, it wouldn’t be easy. Jin-hyuk shook his head, seriously thinking about such trivial matters.

Seeing Jin-hyuk rarely chuckle, Seol-chan also grinned.

“What did Byeong-taek’s parents say?”

“They told me to get lost quickly. They said it’s hot, and without me, my sisters can relax more.”

Yeom Byeong-taek muttered while chewing on a sausage.

Yeom Byeong-taek’s family ran a tea house in town.

There were many tea houses, and many sisters worked there. Yeom Byeong-taek called them ‘Miss Kim, Miss Park.’

“What about Sang-ki?”

“Well······. They were happy······ that I made friends.”

The usually quiet Park Sang-ki answered with a blank expression, looking at the distant mountains.

Park Sang-ki never spoke unless someone else initiated the conversation. They had exercised together every morning for a few days before the vacation, and though not as timid as Jin-hyuk in his past life, he was still a shy and quiet kid. It was surprising that such a kid had a girlfriend.

“Ah, there must be a phone there······. I need to call my girlfriend······. Is the house big······. I can’t sleep with someone who snores······.”

Muttering-.

He was a kid who talked to himself a lot.

“Uncle, let’s go.”

“Alright.”

The Taeyang Middle School track and field team, divided into two cars, headed to Jin-hyuk’s house, the training camp location. Jo Seol-chan, with the car window down, enjoyed the cool breeze with a wide smile. Yeom Byeong-taek admired the interior of the luxury car, while Park Sang-ki muttered with his eyes slanted upward.

They were excited to be free from Lee Byeong-se, who had been indifferent to the athletes, and to spend their summer vacation in a seaside village.

When they arrived, it was even better and more impressive than they had expected.

“Wow-, peach trees, apricot trees, apple trees, fig trees, plum trees, grapevines······. Looking at the leaves, this seems like a cherry tree?”

Yeom Byeong-taek, who dreamed of becoming a landscape expert, admired the fruit trees planted around the yard. Yeom Byeong-taek had already decided to major in landscape-related studies in college. Of course, that was if he could get into college.

“Wow-. There are three more big dogs? What’s Jang Gun-i doing? He’s going to eat leftovers-.”

Jo Seol-chan, who had visited once during the first-year summer vacation, made cryptic remarks while looking at Jang Gun-i. Jang Gun-i just rolled his eyes, giving a disdainful look.

Park Sang-ki was interested in the lawn garden.

“······If there were no trees, we could play soccer here.”

The yard was wider than a volleyball court, and all sorts of flowers were in full bloom, welcoming summer.

It felt like stepping into a scene from a fairy tale. The energetic boys, out of place, enjoyed smelling the flowers and petting the dogs.

“Hello!”

“Ah, yes. Welcome. Make yourselves at home.”

Jin-hyuk’s father, holding a kindergarten girl’s hand, and his mother, holding a baby, welcomed the friends.

“Big brother’s friends, welcome.”

“Hey, bro-.”

Jeong Won also greeted them, following his cheerful sister.

Jo Seol-chan, who had a special reunion, bowed deeply.

“Omma, Appa, hello-.”

“Oh my, our Seol-chan is crying again?”

Han Yu-young comforted Jo Seol-chan.

Worried that Jo Seol-chan, in his sensitive phase, might get hurt, Han Yu-young had been secretly supporting him. Of course, it was soon discovered.

After finding out about the support, Jo Seol-chan often called Han Yu-young to check on her, showing his filial piety. It was fortunate that he could accept kindness so readily.

“Let’s unpack first.”

The kids followed Jin-hyuk’s lead to the second floor to unpack.

There were three rooms on the second floor, one of which was Jin-hyuk’s room. Park Sang-ki took one small room for himself, while Yeom Byeong-taek and Jo Seol-chan shared another room.

“There’s a fridge on the second floor too?”

“Wow-, is all this for Jin-hyuk to eat?”

“Oh······, bananas······.”

The fridge was stocked with fruits, sports drinks, barley tea, cassia seed tea, orange juice, milk, and even ice cream. There was nothing missing.

“Mom filled it up for you guys. Eat as much as you want. Seol-chan, you like bananas, right?”

Worried they might feel shy, Jin-hyuk peeled a banana and handed it to Jo Seol-chan.

***

“Hee-yah-, this is the best summer vacation ever!”

Yeom Byeong-taek lay sprawled on the porch and shouted.

The other friends thought so too.

From arriving at Jin-hyuk’s house, greeting his parents, touring the house, playing in the stream, eating grilled eel for dinner, to lying on the spacious porch and stargazing······.

Up until then, it was the best summer vacation.

Before going to bed, Jin-hyuk briefed them on the training camp plan.

A goal is necessary for training to have meaning. By sharing and imprinting the goal of the camp on his friends, Jin-hyuk aimed to motivate them and help them gain precious experience. It was a noble plan.

The presentation skills that had captivated the Sein Group chairman shone brightly.

「Summer Camp of Lightrun」

Yeom Byeong-taek asked after seeing the title.

“Summer camp? Like a summer Bible school?”

“It’s the name of this training camp.”

It’s like a codename.

Well, even small events need names and purposes to sound impressive.

Baseball and soccer players have spring camps, so why can’t we have a summer camp?

“Jin-hyuk. What’s Lightrun? Not Lightrun?”

“Like······ running like light?”

Park Sang-ki answered Jo Seol-chan’s question.

Jin-hyuk, satisfied, handed over the chart.

Flap-.

“The first week is strength training, the second week is agility training, the third week is recovery training. The fourth week is just track training. This is the general framework, and we’ll focus on maximizing each person’s strengths and improving their main events······.”

The kids blinked, looking back and forth between the training schedule on the chart and Jin-hyuk.

Didn’t we come here to have fun? That’s what the kids’ eyes said.

‘You crazy guy, why are we doing a four-week training camp for just one relay race?’

Yeom Byeong-taek, who could be considered a track and field senior, swallowed his words.

Did we set the air conditioner too high? The kids shivered from the cold.

Just looking at the densely packed words on the schedule made them feel like they were going to lose their minds.

“Ah, I forgot to call my girlfriend······.”

Park Sang-ki’s mind seemed to be elsewhere.