Chapter 259

I am Son Yoo-jin (3)

***

I received a call from Jin Seon-kyu.

When I heard his voice over the phone, I was worried that he might be calling to pick a fight because he was upset.

It was an unnecessary worry.

– Thank you. I appreciate your concern.

“Not at all. I was worried if I might have overstepped. So I asked the chairman to carefully suggest it.”

– Hahahaha!

Jin Seon-kyu laughed so heartily it could hurt your eardrums.

It was a really unexpected reaction to something I said without thinking.

Is this guy okay?

– When I got a call from Chairman Yoo Se-ra, I didn’t think much of it. It wasn’t even through the federation.

Wow, I specifically told them not to upset the athletes or the federation, but they contacted the athlete directly. Unpredictable as always, that’s Yoo Se-ra for you.

No wonder Uncle Hong Ki-jun keeps calling her a lioness.

– But as I listened, I started feeling good. She said, ‘Aren’t we on the same national team? How about eating, sleeping, and training together?’ She spoke so casually and comfortably that I didn’t even have to think twice. We only spent a day or two at the athletes’ village because our schedules didn’t match.

Jin Seon-kyu was a good person.

He only stayed one night and left the village, but he made it sound like a big deal.

It wasn’t so much that our schedules didn’t match, but the facilities at the athletes’ village were no better than a bear’s den, and I only formally entered because of school classes and exams. Plus, to save face for the federation.

“So, are you going together?”

– Yeah. I think I’ll learn a lot watching you train.

So humble.

He’s an elite athlete who’s been through high school and college sports, now active in a professional team, yet he’s talking about learning from a junior. How many people can say that?

The call was to inform me about the trip, but Jin Seon-kyu shared a lot about himself.

He said he’ll probably enlist in the Armed Forces Athletic Corps next year when his contract with the professional team ends. It’s the path most male athletes in Korea take, whether professional or amateur.

– You can do it. Whether it’s the Asian Games or the Olympics, you’ll stand on the top of the podium in the 100 meters. My heart races as if it’s my own achievement.

By the time he fulfills his military service in his early thirties, his form might decline, and after retirement, he wants to become a physical education teacher as he always wished. He said he enjoys teaching and interacting with kids, so he studied special education in college.

– You know, managing your condition is the most important thing. Take care of your body, and see you at the airport.

But did Jin Seon-kyu compete in the Olympics in his past life?

It’s such a distant memory that I can’t recall, no matter how hard I try.

‘Maybe he did, since he held the Korean record before I broke it.’

Not to mention, Jin Seon-kyu is also a gold medalist at the East Asian Games.

‘I hope he does well too.’

By the way, the word “hyung” (older brother) still doesn’t roll off my tongue easily.

Despite the nine-year age difference, he doesn’t feel like an older brother.

If anything, he feels younger than Jin Hyuk.

‘Anyway, it’s hard for everyone to do well as they wish. The Olympics are no joke.’

A place full of monsters… I muttered while looking out the window.

***

I lay diagonally on the porch, using a sack filled with rice husks as a cushion.

The cushioning is good, but the rustling sound of the husks inside the sack oddly stimulates my nerves, helping me calm down. It’s also effective for concentration. So, I wrote a trendy name on it in bold black marker.

「MC-Sagakgyeo」

Sagakgyeo, meaning “rustling husks,” how intuitive is that?

But Dad criticized my lack of creativity, saying I should come up with a more interesting name.

‘Dad just doesn’t get me.’

What creativity can you expect from someone with no sense of humor?

Anyway, it’s not comparable to the high-priced concentration aids on the market, but in the countryside, this is as good as it gets.

Peace is sweet.

It’s even sweeter because it doesn’t last long.

If it lasted too long, I’d probably lose all my teeth, so it’s better short, right?

“Jin Hyuk oppaaaa-?”

Choi Mi-kyung, you sly fox, hurry up.

Ah, not that.

“Hey, get lost. I plead the fifth.”

“You stingy brat. Live well and prosper!”

Look at her, getting all cocky just because she’s grown a bit.

Even her potato-like fists have gotten bigger.

Anyway, thanks for the blessing.

“Mi-kyung, you ate poop.”

Choi Mi-kyung didn’t even look back, just pulled up her shrunken workout pants and walked away.

As soon as Choi Mi-kyung left, a UFO appeared.

“Hey, Jin Hyuk?”

“Oh-! There’s a UFO!”

“Where, where!”

“It went towards the training center.”

Whoosh-!

Kim Eun-jung is truly serious about UFOs.

I used to think she was just pretending to be airheaded during meetings, but now I feel silly for thinking that.

‘Peace like a river to me.’

Successfully chasing away the wild boar-like Choi Mi-kyung and the UFO-obsessed Kim Eun-jung with a few kicks, I feel quite satisfied. How dare they try to leak exam questions?

“Ahhh! I really love the zelkova tree-!”

I feel a bit restless at the thought of leaving the cool porch, even in summer.

Atlanta is supposed to be really hot, but it’ll be fine, right?

Rustle-.

I was about to flip through a book to enjoy a moment of leisure before departure.

Vroom-.

‘Why is Dad here at this hour…?’

*

Son Kwang-yeon got out of the car and patted Yang Gang-wook’s shoulder as he got out of the passenger seat.

“Prepare well. Don’t feel pressured, think of it as a trip.”

“Yes, thank you.”

I thought he came early to give Yang Gang-wook time to prepare for the trip. It’s a month-long schedule, so Yang Gang-wook must have a lot to check.

But Son Kwang-yeon was holding a large shopping bag.

“Whew-, my son reads books?”

“Yes, you’re early.”

“Let’s see-, Montesquieu, Hobbes, Rousseau, The Prince, why are you reading such boring books?”

“They’re interesting.”

Son Kwang-yeon smiled awkwardly.

This kid is always peculiar.

Where’s the fun in philosophy books that most college students don’t even read?

Son Kwang-yeon showed me some books he read in college.

There’s no way he could’ve read them all in a day, but it’s absurd that he brought them all.

Still, if my kid finds them interesting, that’s what matters.

“Try these on.”

“The shoes are already out?”

Was it just a month ago when I visited the lab?

These engineers are insane. How did they finish so quickly?

Son Kwang-yeon took out three boxes and opened one.

A sleek, dark blue shoe symbolizing the Sun Army was revealed.

“I don’t know much about the material. They explained it, but it’s some synthetic leather combined with synthetic fibers, and the friction is killer. If you kick a soccer ball with these, the ball will spin like crazy-.”

“These are track spikes.”

“Oh, right. They said it fits like a glove. The material is so thin it’s almost transparent. That fiber, they layered it several times on the leather, but the weight is substantial-.”

“Wow-.”

They were incredibly light.

The outsole was good before, but it’s even better now.

It feels like they added some elasticity compared to the last model.

I bent the spikes to see if the upper would fold.

“I can’t see the stitches.”

They were stitched with thin thread, so you could only see it if you looked closely.

“Since it’s not a solid material, it’s not a full upper. And sewing isn’t something just anyone can do well, even with a machine.”

“But they’re still amazing, right?”

“That’s why we need managers. If researchers have knowledge and development skills, managers have negotiation skills. Isn’t it great that there’s a company in Korea that can make such awesome shoes?”

“Ah, so that’s why you went to Gyeonggi last time-.”

“Yeah. I went to Ho-seung to commission the production.”

He negotiated with a professional shoe manufacturer to complete the prototype.

“Try them on.”

Jin Hyuk took off his socks and slipped his feet into the spikes.

Unlike mass-produced shoes, the ankle part stretched when putting them on but tightened afterward, hugging the foot like a rubber band.

“How are they?”

“Wow… It’s like I’m not wearing anything.”

Thud thud-!

I stomped my feet hard and lifted my knees.

I’d need to assemble the studs and run on the track to be sure, but the fit was far superior to any mass-produced domestic shoes. It’s incomparable. These were custom-made for my feet.

“What’s that?”

“One is a spare set of spikes, and I made these red. The other one is-.”

Running shoes.

“Your sneakers wear out too fast, so I made these by combining new materials with mass-produced soles.”

“Ohhh….”

The durability of the outsole might be limited since it’s mass-produced, but the upper is incomparably better, giving me confidence that even if I run hard, there won’t be strain on the toes or sides.

“But how did you negotiate?”

I was curious.

It was a chance to learn the know-how of a manager like Son Kwang-yeon.

A business manager wouldn’t just barge in, right?

“I barged in. I said, ‘My son is going to the Olympics, and if he wins a medal wearing your shoes, wouldn’t that be good for your company too?’ Wahaha! You know how thick-skinned your dad is, right?”

Son Kwang-yeon shrugged as if it was nothing.

***

It’s a schedule that lasts almost a month.

Han Yu-young checked the list several times to make sure nothing was missing.

“Yoo-jin’s clothes, Yoo-jin’s shoes, Yoo-jin’s hat, Yoo-jin’s sunglasses, Yoo-jin’s slippers, Yoo-jin’s sandals, Yoo-jin’s hair ties, Yoo-jin’s-.”

Yoo-jin, Yoo-jin…..

For someone like Jin Hyuk, who packs his own things, such attention can be toxic.

During an elementary school competition in Gongju, she packed her son’s luggage early in the morning while half-asleep and accidentally packed her husband’s underwear. As a result, Jin Hyuk spent the night at the inn without underwear. It was a funny story he told me, but for Han Yu-young, it was a blood-draining experience. How embarrassing.

After checking Yoo-jin’s suitcase, she went over the list of items to pack in another suitcase.

“Jin Hyuk, I’ll pack some rice here, sealed and frozen, so you can eat it after thawing. It’s brown rice, so it’s best to eat it three hours before the match.”

Mom’s knowledge of nutrition and energy has been a great help to her athlete son. Brown rice is undoubtedly one of the factors that positively influenced Jin Hyuk’s record improvement.

Eating right before a match makes you feel sluggish, and eating too much too early makes you run heavy. Brown rice, with its slower digestion rate compared to white rice, is an excellent energy source for growing athletes who get hungry quickly.

“Gochujang, dried squid, seaweed, perilla oil… Oh my! I almost forgot the kimchi.”

Jin Hyuk silently focused on his own tasks.

Chairman Yoo Se-ra rented a mansion near the training ground and hired a chef along with bodyguards, so most meals can be prepared on-site. Still, I can’t help but admire Mom’s determination to pack even one more thing.

‘If I told her not to, she’d probably cry.’

All the side dishes were cooked and packaged, so there shouldn’t be any issues at the local airport. If they get confiscated, there’s nothing we can do.

“Oh my-, my daughter is going to America all grown up….”

As Mom trailed off, Jin Hyuk turned to look at her.

Here she goes again, catching the emotional fish.

She often gets sentimental watching her kids grow up. It’s a scene I couldn’t have imagined in my past life, but now it’s familiar to Jin Hyuk.

What’s so touching? With bloodshot eyes and a Rudolph-red nose, Mom was looking at Yoo-jin.

“Ajjigom, your big sister is leaving the day after tomorrow-. Take care of the house, and keep brushing your teeth? If you don’t brush, you’ll have to go to the dentist-.”

Whether she understands Mom’s feelings or not, Yoo-jin was hugging Ajjigom tightly and rubbing her face against him. They must be sharing a moment of farewell.

“In America, you have to speak English-. I am Son Yoo-jin. Like this. But Ajjigom can’t go because he doesn’t know English.”

The surface reason is language, but it’s really because of the risk of losing him.

Even though I asked her to take Ajjigom to America, Yoo-jin shook her head, worried she might lose him.

“Now that we’ve said goodbye to Ajjigom, I should say goodbye to the other houses.”

Yoo-jin jumped up and ran to the front door.

Sniff-.

Mom finally wiped her eyes with her fist.

At times like this, the dependable eldest son should comfort Mom with a few words.

Jin Hyuk, now a somewhat mature teenager, knows that too.

“Yoo-jin, now you’re going to America alone. The day after tomorrow, you won’t see Mom. You should say, ‘Mom, thank you for raising me-.’”

“You, brat-.”

Jin Hyuk, who had brilliantly teased, swiftly leaned his upper body to dodge the honey-sweet punch Mom swung from behind.

See?

You’re fine now.