Chapter 276

The dictator獨在者 (6)

Silva from Brazil, who escaped the 9th heat with Jin Seon-kyu, took lane 3, and Zisimides from the Republic of Cyprus entered lane 8.

Jin Hyuk, who was shaking his limbs far behind the starting blocks, felt their glances and became immersed in a sense of internal superiority.

‘Is it because we’re both Korean athletes, or is it because I’m Son Jin-hyeok?’

It wasn’t Jin Hyuk’s delusion that top-class athletes seemed ordinary.

Wasn’t he receiving the same gaze from competitors on the Olympic stage that he did at domestic competitions?

Hoo-hoo-.

He bent his waist, pressed his palms against the track, and stretched his knees. It was a routine to tense and relax the soleus and hamstrings, which are prone to shock at the start.

The sensation of muscles, cooled by the crisp air, being forcibly stretched by steel-like tendons was thrilling.

‘Let’s see, to avoid meeting my senior in the semifinals…’

If Jin Seon-kyu had run exceptionally well, he wouldn’t have had to worry, but considering both ranking and records, the calculations became complicated.

Fredericks and Boldon had taken 1st and 2nd places so far, so the groups would be divided, and Linford, who took 3rd, would face Boldon…

‘It depends on how the 5th heat turns out, but Marsh won’t run worse than Linford. So, 1st in the 5th heat goes to Group A, 2nd to Group B…’

He glanced at the other athletes.

Only Jin Hyuk and Marsh had the skill to break Jin Seon-kyu’s 10.10.

‘Senior is in Group A.’

He quickly finished his calculations and nodded.

For Jin Hyuk, nothing calmed his mind as much as using his head.

‘I’ll send Marsh to Group A.’

The plan to send Michael Marsh to Group A to avoid meeting Jin Seon-kyu in the semifinals was complete.

[On your mark.]

Yeah-, here we go-.

***

[Bang-!]

Wahhh-!

The final race of the quarterfinals, lit up like broad daylight.

Another Korean in lane 5 was tearing up the track with red and blue spikes.

“Huh?”

Seo Pil-gu, who had been waiting for the gunshot, suddenly stood up.

“Did he freeze too?”

“Nah-. He’s not running. He’s trying to avoid Seon-kyu.”

Kim Hyeong-tak said nonchalantly, as if it were obvious.

Most coaches would be fidgeting and focused, but Kim Hyeong-tak and Seo Pil-gu were calm, having anticipated Jin Hyuk’s strategy.

[Bang-!]

While exchanging a few words, the athletes had already crossed the finish line.

“Is that possible?”

Seo Pil-gu tilted his head.

Is it possible to run while making such calculations?

“I was calculating too, but you think they can’t? Being a coach isn’t for just anyone-.”

Kim Hyeong-tak, with a smile on his face, clapped his hands as he watched Son Jin-hyeok shake hands with Michael Marsh after the race.

“Every athlete has their own traits. He’s calm. Understanding each one’s characteristics and leveraging their strengths. That’s what a coach does-.”

Kim Hyeong-tak, with his prematurely white hair, spoke casually, but his eyes were sharp.

Quarter 5.

1. Marsh. USA. 10.04s

2. Son. KOR. 10.06s

3. Surin. CAN. 10.13s

4. Mackie. GBR. 10.25s

···

···

[Today’s events have concluded. Please exit in an orderly and safe manner-.]

Kim Hyeong-tak’s applause continued until Jin Hyuk approached.

‘Chairman Yoo Se-ra is right.’

There’s no guarantee another athlete like him won’t appear.

Already, a track and field boom is sweeping the nation, with monster-like athletes emerging in middle school. Some kids, over 180cm tall, refuse basketball or baseball and insist on track and field.

And that’s not all.

In the specialized sports shoe market, running shoes have outsold basketball shoes, according to a newspaper article.

‘The imitation psychology of following idols.’

Track and field is a sport parents can recommend.

All you need is a pair of shoes.

Frankly, you can even do it in just your underwear.

‘But not wearing anything would be indecent.’

As the athlete from the private foundation smiled freely at the national team coaching staff, Kim Hyeong-tak and Seo Pil-gu stood up to greet him.

Seo Pil-gu patted Jin Hyuk’s back firmly.

“Well done! Really well done! Don’t tell Seon-kyu you held back.”

“Yes.”

The fact that he held back even while running at that speed was surprising even to Seo Pil-gu, but since his chest wasn’t heaving, there was no room for doubt.

“The semifinals are tomorrow morning, so no fooling around and get some good sleep tonight!”

“Yes.”

“What’s this old man saying? He’s still a kid!”

Seo Pil-gu flared up at Kim Hyeong-tak’s words. Fooling around?

But Kim Hyeong-tak’s expression remained calm as always.

“Seon-kyu isn’t a kid anymore.”

Ah.

Seo Pil-gu immediately understood.

He secretly felt relieved that Jin Seon-kyu wasn’t staying in the Olympic Village.

‘Those energetic guys are prone to fooling around.’

It’s no secret that condoms are the most used item among athletes in the village. Oh boy-, free love worldwide.

Kyaaaa-!

As Jin Hyuk waved towards the sound of a lion’s roar, Kim Hyeong-tak asked Seo Pil-gu, still clapping.

“You’ll do it, right?”

“Of course.”

The subject was omitted, but no explanation was needed.

“Shouldn’t I try coaching too?”

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t go sniffing around baseball teams anymore, stay in track and field.”

The Koll-Messy Giants.

Seo Pil-gu had once been a playing coach for a baseball team after retiring from active duty.

He was chosen purely for his speed, but despite his fast legs, his lack of stealing sense kept him from playing in actual games.

“What’s wrong with the baseball team? We won championships when I was there.”

Even if he didn’t play, a championship is still a championship.

“It’s easier to stand out as a coach with one talented athlete than with a bunch of inconsistent guys. Individual sports are full of geniuses.”

Seo Pil-gu nodded strongly. Like Kim Hyeong-tak, he clapped his hands.

“Lone wolves like us are more comfortable in individual sports.”

Though they didn’t know why they kept clapping, their applause continued until Jin Hyuk disappeared into the waiting room.

***

Semi-Finals.

Semi A.

L1. Asahara. JPN. 10.19s

L2. Tuffuor. GHA. 10.18s

L3. Bailey. CAN. 10.05s

L4. Jin. KOR. 10.10s

L5. Fredericks. NAM. 9.93s

L6. Marsh. USA. 10.04s

L7. Markoullides. CYP. 10.23s

L8. Thompson. BAR. 10.14s

Back at the mansion, after finishing his recovery routine of showering, sauna, and showering again, Jin Hyuk and Jin Seon-kyu sat at a table in the room and unfolded the lineup.

Kuh-.

Jin Seon-kyu, chewing on a banana, shook his head like Jang Gun-i.

“I’ve met the Japanese guy again. What a cursed connection. Tuffuor in lane 2…”

“Tofu.”

“Ah, it’s Tofu. Bailey is Donovan, and Jin… oh, that’s me.”

Jin Seon-kyu scratched the back of his head.

Damn alphabet.

Jin Hyuk, who had rolled orange juice in his mouth to warm it before swallowing, chuckled.

Seeing Jin Seon-kyu missing a screw was reassuring.

“You almost ended up in the outer lane.”

“Yeah. I can understand the others, but the great Thompson in lane 8? That’s shocking.”

Obadele Thompson.

Only 21 years old, a law student from Barbados, a small country of 250,000 people, and a prodigy who shook the world of track and field before Son Jin-hyeok.

Like Jin Hyuk, he had already broken into the 9-second range in the 100m during his junior years and held the world record in the indoor 55m, the pinnacle of early sprinting.

Apart from that, Jin Hyuk, who had met Thompson on the track, remembered him with a faint smile.

“Senior, you’re now the great ‘Jin’ too.”

Jin Seon-kyu nodded silently.

Posture correction, mind control, and shoes.

He felt like a complete athlete.

“If you keep performing like today, you’ll make it to the finals.”

The average time for World Championship and Olympic finals still hovers around 10 seconds flat. With the current trend, making it to the finals is no longer a dream for Jin Seon-kyu.

“Right! Just do it!”

Though he looked somewhat tired, Jin Seon-kyu’s eyes were clear and full of determination.

Now, as long as he doesn’t sink too low when he wakes up in the morning…

“Wow-. It’s intense.”

Jin Seon-kyu, looking at the lineup for Jin Hyuk’s Group B, clicked his tongue.

Semi B.

L1. Surin. CAN. 10.13s

L2. Drummond. USA. 10.17s

L3. Boldon. TRI. 9.95s

L4. Ezinwa. NGR. 10.08s

L5. Son. KOR. 10.06s

L6. Christie. GBR. 10.04s

L7. Mitchell. USA. 10.09s

L8. Green. JAM. 10.11s

Two Americans, British, Jamaican, Canadian, Nigerian, and the tyrant Ato Boldon from Trinidad and Tobago.

Compared to that, Group A, with athletes from Barbados, Japan, Namibia, and the Republic of Cyprus, looked like a preliminary round. Of course, that’s just based on country names, but looking at the athletes’ names…

…Still, Group B is tougher.

“Damn! The last-place time is insane. I’d believe it if you told me this was the final lineup.”

Jin Seon-kyu recognized every name.

“I’m proud. To have my junior among them…”

Cook-.

Jin Hyuk found Jin Seon-kyu amusing because he could suddenly burst with national pride like this.

“The times are even more intense. There’s a noticeable difference with Group A.”

“It’s probably because of the numbers.”

Hmm, that makes sense. Jin Seon-kyu nodded.

At first glance, Group B’s performance seems superior, but Group A also has a time difference of around 0.2 seconds from 1st to 8th place.

Dudududut-!

Jin Seon-kyu stretched lazily.

“It’s late. Should we wrap it up for today?”

“Yeah! Let’s get some good sleep!”

Jin Seon-kyu answered cheerfully and downed the remaining orange juice in one go.

“Ah, by the way.”

“Huh? What?”

***

“Mr. Jjorang said if you start saying something, you should finish it, you know-.”

You want a hamburger. A hamburger…

At this early hour before sunrise.

Son Yoo-jin, who had come down to the first-floor living room early, put down the glass of morning milk she had drunk.

“Ugh- my eyes won’t open.”

Blinking her puffy eyes, she unfolded a piece of paper.

You want a hamburger now. You want a hamburger now… Someone kept insisting she eat a hamburger, but Son Yoo-jin didn’t look around. She knew no one was there.

Sigh-.

Feeling a bit off, she furrowed her brows for a moment before reading the printed words aloud, as if someone were listening.

“Here, look-. Today’s breakfast is brown rice with fried egg, kimchi soybean sprout soup, spinach salad, and braised ribs-.”

Slurp-.

Son Yoo-jin, reading the menu, wiped the drool from her mouth. She wanted to mix the soybean sprout salad her mom made with rice.

“Yoo-jin, are you practicing reading?”

“Unnie, baa-.”

Min Yong-rak, holding Hong Soo-hyuk, came down from the second floor, rubbing his sleepy eyes.

Min Yong-rak, who had come as an Olympic administrative support staff, was now acting as Hong Soo-hyuk’s caretaker. No one asked him to; he volunteered. Being used to rural life, he found it more comfortable to be around kids.

“Did you sleep well-?”

“Yeah. I need to wash up and get ready for the stadium.”

“Yes. Oppa and Uncle Kkyu already ate and left.”

Son Yoo-jin answered and got up, putting a towel around her neck.

“Unnie, food-.”

“Soo-hyuk, wash up and come. Let’s eat together-.”

You want a hamburger now…

“The morning sun has risen- get up from your seat-.”

Humming a song she learned in kindergarten, she opened the bathroom door.

‘I’ve eaten too many hamburgers-.’

In the first few days after arriving in the U.S., Son Yoo-jin suffered from severe headaches.

Her chest felt heavy, as if someone was sitting on it.

No matter how much she tried to recover, it was useless, and the more she used her powers to heal, the worse the pain got.

Now, thankfully, the headaches and heaviness were gone, but she still found herself craving hamburgers without realizing it.

Her belly had even bulged.

You want a hambur-.

The silent cry faded.

Son Yoo-jin, standing still, stared expressionlessly at the mirror.

Sigh-.

Son Yoo-jin, hissing like a cat, brought her face closer to the mirror.

She stared clearly at her own reflection and spoke firmly, as if warning herself.

“I like rice.”

Do. You. Under. Stand?

Startled-.

The inner Son Yoo-jin was taken aback.

“Ugh-! Got it-.”

Son Yoo-jin pointed at the mirror, demanding an answer. It was the same gesture she used when teaching manners to Geon-ma, who used to be a puppy.

【······.】

The shadow held its breath. Since Son Yoo-jin was breathing, it had to follow, but it was still tense.

How did she figure out I was hiding in the unconscious?

“Hmm…, I’m Son Yoo-jin-. Hmm, a person-, Son Yoo-jin should be one-. I am Son Yoo-jin. Son Yoo-jin is one, you see? Answer me-.”

Ah, this is a smart kid trying to lead me into a trap.

Don’t answer.

Don’t fall for it.

“Hmph! I should quit hamburgers. There are so many hamburger trucks outside the stadium-.”

Ah! That, that’s a bit…

The eyes in the mirror, unable to do anything, wavered.