Chapter 267

Unpredictable (3)

Five years have already passed.

It was when Jin-hyeok was thirteen that I called Jo Il-hun to build a short track and a wrestling arena in the backyard for my son. Although the track is no longer used since the bear incident, it remains a precious memory for Son Kwang-yeon. Even now, when I see this sandy path, my son’s childhood, so different from mine, flashes before my eyes like a panorama.

‘It’s good that someone remembers his growing years.’

That’s why I record and take photos to preserve these memories.

This track is also a record. I even stood here and reminisced about my son’s childhood in an interview with a documentary team.

Choi Jang-hwan, who happened to have a day off overlapping with mine, pressed the track with his booted feet.

“What’s this? Even Choi Dong-won’s father worked in the fields, and that’s why Choi Dong-won became what he is.”

The track, a mix of soil and sand, firmly packed.

Son Kwang-yeon, who was sweeping the track with a soft reed broom, chuckled at Choi Jang-hwan’s words. Somehow, it just turned out that way.

“Our Jin-hyeok also made it to the Olympics thanks to what his father did here. He can’t think he made it all by himself.”

This, that.

At first, it was hard to adjust, but now, even if he talks like that, I can understand without much trouble.

As long as I fully understand the background and context of his words.

“Jin-hyeok, if he goes there and does that, what about the big stuff? Should he go to physical education college?”

“He doesn’t seem to want to go to college.”

Choi Jang-hwan is like an older brother and a father figure to me.

For Son Kwang-yeon, he is someone with whom I can share everything, someone I must share with.

“Why is he doing that? Our Tae-ang went to school even though he was a bit slow. Jin-hyeok has a good head for studying; he should go to school.”

Well, what more could Jin-hyeok learn in college?

This time, I held back my words and smoothed out the wrestling arena. I picked up fallen branches and small stones along the way.

Yoo-jin and Jeong-won were building a house while singing the toad song, so we always kept the place clean. If Yoo-jin got a new house every time she sang, there would be at least two apartment complexes by now.

‘Ha-, that kid. Yoo-jin is quite eccentric.’

Thinking of my daughter, I couldn’t help but laugh.

I allowed her to follow her brother to the Olympics on the condition that she wouldn’t disturb him, and she ended up in the newspaper with a big headline.

“I came with my brother.”

– “Son Yoo-jin, the younger sister of Son Jin-hyeok, who is expected to win the first medal in the 100m and 200m sprint… The fact that the family accompanied him has sparked controversy…”

They conveniently left out whose money was used, so anyone reading it would think it was funded by taxpayers. Thankfully, my friend Hong Ki-jun stood by Jin-hyeok, and my wife, who sent our daughter off, didn’t mind, considering it something she had prepared for.

Journalists are truly remarkable in some ways.

With so many hidden codes in that one photo, how could they only come up with that headline and content? That’s why Son Kwang-yeon reads the world over and over, filtering out someone’s intentions and purposes.

‘Tamed creatures.’

I thought while petting Jang Gun-i and Hongshi, who were circling around me.

In the past, they might have been wolves or wild dogs, but through human hands, they became loyal dogs.

Beaten, sometimes killed, sometimes comfortably fed, they castrated their own wildness. Dogs, pens.

‘I hope my children live freely. Belonging nowhere, tamed by no one.’

Squatting down, leaning on a broom, I looked up at Choi Jang-hwan.

“Some people farm after college, and some become chairmen without going to college. That’s the world, isn’t it?”

“Since you have a successful father, that’s understandable, but when Jin-hyeok’s father hands over the company, he should at least have a college degree, right? People won’t accept it otherwise.”

Son Kwang-yeon just nodded. You’re not wrong. In the eyes of ordinary people, to convince them, that would be the right answer.

I heard a story from Min Yong-rak.

He got Jin-hyeok a set of past exam papers for the bar exam at his request.

I noticed that the law books, neatly placed in the study, had been touched at some point.

Besides the slightly worn edges of the stiff paper, there was plenty of evidence.

‘My dollars…’

For a rich man, emergency funds are a game.

A thrilling game of secretly siphoning money from his wife.

The thousand dollars tucked in the Criminal Procedure Law book disappeared the day Jin-hyeok left the country, leaving only a note.

“I’ll buy Jang Gun-i some dog treats.”

What kind of lunatic buys a thousand dollars’ worth of dog treats…?

‘My son is that kind of guy. He takes after his mother with his big hands.’

A thousand dollars is a whopping 800,000 won in our money. Add another 500 dollars, and you could buy the latest Pentium XL desktop from Sain in one go. It’s enough to buy a domestic 125cc motorcycle and a helmet. Oh, what a waste.

Unable to complain to my wife, I was sulking when it suddenly hit me.

‘This kid, could it be?’

Is he preparing something to replace a diploma, conscious of society’s gaze, including his parents’?

The obvious codes of past papers and law books finally shone through to Son Kwang-yeon, a humanities person to the core.

“Jin-hyeok must have his own thoughts, brother.”

“That’s right, he must have done all that.”

A smart guy like him must have a plan.

Naturally inclined towards humanities, Son Kwang-yeon accurately deciphered Choi Jang-hwan’s cryptic words.

***

“I have no thoughts.”

Jin Seon-kyu opened his mouth wide.

The training ground arranged by SI Sports was a track near the Georgia Institute of Technology.

It was a 30-minute drive from the Centennial Olympic Park, the main Olympic stadium, and the mansion where Jin-hyeok was staying. Moreover, it was the best facility in the area, used by athletes from other countries for acclimatization training.

“The facilities are really good.”

As if forgetting that the camera was rolling, Jin Seon-kyu seemed unwilling to close his mouth.

What more do you need besides the track? With eight official lanes and night lighting towers, it was good enough to be used as a regular stadium.

“There are a lot of foreign athletes.”

Well, it’s a foreign country. Jin Seon-kyu’s unspoken words rolled around in his mouth.

Even without Jin Seon-kyu’s subdued tone, Jin-hyeok had also seen many athletes with his own eyes.

No matter how much financial backing you have, you can’t monopolize the training ground.

Sprinters, long-distance runners, and field event athletes all need to train.

“Sprinters are easy to spot. Their bodies are no joke…”

Still, the advantage of pre-training is that you can use the facilities freely, unlike the Olympic venues, which are only available at set times. Of course, no one can train all day due to the heat and physical limits.

“Shall we warm up?”

“Y-yes.”

With Jin Seon-kyu frozen and hesitant, Jin-hyeok had to take the lead.

They stretched together, did push-pull exercises facing each other, and soon enough, they were sweating.

‘Training with a partner is really fun.’

How long has it been since we last exercised together?

And he’s a national team athlete.

Although Jin Seon-kyu seemed intimidated by the formidable foreign athletes, Jin-hyeok was thrilled to have the best sprinter in Korea’s general division as his training partner.

Jin-hyeok’s feelings must have shown on his face, as Jin Seon-kyu burst into a hearty laugh despite his nervousness.

“You’re really something. You’re not scared at all and keep smiling?”

“Why should I be scared? It’s not like we’re fighting anyone.”

If it were a fighting sport, it might have been easier.

The thought of participating in boxing, judo, or wrestling briefly crossed his mind.

Knocking someone down, throwing them, slamming them. Knocking them out would be an easy win.

“That’s what makes you bold. I keep wanting to go to the bathroom.”

“But you don’t really need to go, right?”

“Right. It’s all coming out as sweat.”

Am I talking to a high schooler? I feel like a high schooler. Jin Seon-kyu muttered as he wiped the sweat from his forehead and put his hands on his hips.

As his gaze slowly turned towards the track, the documentary cameraman also adjusted the angle.

“Huh? Didn’t they say they were training at the football field?”

“That’s right. The indoor facility would be much better, so why did they come out?”

Four black athletes.

From where Jin Seon-kyu pointed, what appeared to be the U.S. national team was walking over. Each of them had shoulders that looked like they were stuffed with cotton, their deltoids as hard as steel.

They loosened their lips and shook their limbs, fixing their eyes on Jin-hyeok as they quickly approached.

‘Are they here to pick a fight?’

As the hot air blew, the athlete at the front raised his arm high towards Jin-hyeok.

The wrist snap resembled a basketball player’s shooting motion.

“Hey!, Son!”

Who’s your son, you jerk!

…is what I thought, but Jin-hyeok instinctively raised his hand in response.

“Why are you calling me, man?”

Of course, this line was in Korean.

The athlete who called Jin-hyeok came within arm’s reach and shook his thick lips.

“Want to train together?”

Jin-hyeok pretended not to understand and tilted his head.

It was because of Jin Seon-kyu. Even though he had a partner, being singled out like this made him uncomfortable.

At the departure and arrival gates, he had already made a name for himself alone. Each time, Jin Seon-kyu had to stand idly by, waiting for Jin-hyeok.

Jin Seon-kyu understood the American athlete’s intention but couldn’t find the words, so he just stared at them with wide eyes, trying not to look intimidated, his stomach clenched.

“Ahem-! Westerners are tall, but Jin-hyeok is taller. I’m proud.”

Snort-.

Jin-hyeok burst out laughing at Jin Seon-kyu’s sudden national pride.

I always thought he was just a nice guy, but you can’t judge a person by their appearance and actions alone.

This time, the American athletes tilted their heads and whispered among themselves.

Hey, is asking to train together a joke to Koreans? One of the athletes who looked like a troublemaker frowned.

Don’t you know? The athlete who made eye contact shrugged.

To avoid unnecessary misunderstandings, there was no choice but to respond.

Fluent English flowed from Jin-hyeok’s mouth.

“This is my teammate, Jin Seon-kyu. You’re not just inviting me, right?”

“Oh-, of course. Let’s train together.”

Everyone extended their fists, so Jin-hyeok also bumped fists.

‘Break, fist!’

If I hit hard, my wrist might snap, and I wouldn’t be able to run properly… but I’ll hold back.

Schemes don’t suit Son Jin-hyeok.

***

I might look like a wimp.

Jin Seon-kyu, sprawled on the ground, worried that other athletes might see him that way.

On the grass surrounded by the track, he sat with a towel draped over his head, pouring water.

“Whew-, I feel alive now.”

Everything’s good except there’s no shade.

The air was hot, as if Korea’s summer was nothing, and the sun was blazing, determined to either dry you out or burn you to death.

“I need to stay sharp.”

The temperature drops quite a bit in the evening, making it perfect for catching a cold with the drastic temperature difference.

Although it’s the Summer Olympics, the only thing similar to Korea’s summer is the scorching sun.

That’s why acclimatization training is necessary.

In a race decided by 0.01 seconds, it starts with perfectly aligning your body’s rhythm and metabolism to the local environment.

‘Training together is a good experience, but those guys are really weird.’

Watching Jin-hyeok and the American athletes sprint 20 meters and return to the start line, Jin Seon-kyu narrowed his eyes.

The offer to train together was clearly a well-meaning proposal with no ulterior motives.

But there’s one troublemaker among the American athletes.

‘The others call him ‘Johnny’.’

One of the American athletes, Jonathan, was giving the start commands, and every time, they giggled among themselves, which was quite suspicious.

“Get your ass in place, you asshole!”

Asshole? What’s wrong with your asshole?

In international competitions, the ‘on your mark’ command is standardized, but is that a local American expression?

Still, I managed to understand.

Following that command, the athletes took the ‘on your mark’ position, placing their hands and knees on the ground, so even a clueless fool could follow.

‘Can’t even protest.’

Partly because I’m not good at English, but also because Jin-hyeok, who was training with them, giggled every time Jonathan gave the command. If I were the only one finding it strange, I’d really be the odd one out.

The next command was also hard to listen to.

“Get set! Son of a bitch!”

Sounds like crap! Means crap too.

I thought it might be racism or territorial behavior, but this time, Son Jin-hyeok also giggled.

Is it funny like General Jang Gun-i commanding his troops?

But who is General Jang Gun-i?

‘These guys, none of them are normal.’

Maybe their brains are light, so they can run fast?

Come to think of it, among those who fit in here, only Jin Seon-kyu hasn’t broken the 10-second barrier. Maybe the secret to 9 seconds is brain volume.

‘Oh my! That actually makes sense!’

The moment Jin Seon-kyu solved the secret of breaking 9 seconds, something no coach, director, or senior had ever figured out.