Chapter 293

Karma (3)

‘Ugh, so cringe.’

Whatever Jin Hyuk was thinking, Jin Seon-kyu had a happy face.

「Light-speed human, the return of a hero」

People who were clearly sent by Hong Ki-jun flashed their capitalist smiles. Of course, they seemed to have a high concentration of natural extracts. The banner that read “The Return of a Hero” would speak for their hearts to some extent.

And…

People who were drawn by the name Hong Ki-jun also flashed bright smiles that made onlookers uncomfortable.

They put flower garlands around Jin Hyuk and Jin Seon-kyu and raised their voices.

Music, applause, and cheers. Amidst all that, they were passionately introducing themselves, even though no one could hear them properly.

Some chief of staff at the Blue House, some chairman of some political party, some head of a local government-.

There was no need to wonder why these people were here.

“…Let’s hope for a progressive and constructive good relationship in the future-.”

“I’m Representative Sa Seon. I’m a senior from the same university as Chairman Hong. We have a special relationship-.”

Me, me, I, I, I…

Jin Hyuk nodded and threw a message with an indifferent look.

I get what you mean, so just wrap it up and step aside.

And stop shaking my hand.

Inside, he held onto his father’s teachings as a guiding light, while outwardly, he followed what Hong Ki-jun had coached him.

「Moths will swarm even if you chase them away. There’s no need to chase or avoid them. That’s how your daily life gets ruined. Just pull them all in and burn them. Be appropriately solemn, appropriately bright, and give them a haughty look. The look of a person in power. What they fear most isn’t votes. It’s failing to catch the eye of someone in power.

I’ll bet 500 won that some guys will come out early trying to mold you, thinking you’re young and naive.」

Just 500 won?

Feels like the “billion” is missing… As he thought that, the image of Chairman Hong Ki-jun from the past came to mind.

Chairman Hong Ki-jun liked to meet for cone ice cream at noon, and since he disliked betting, whenever a bet had to be made, he only wagered the price of that ice cream. Truly, you couldn’t help but call him stingy.

After briefly greeting the politicians, he bowed his head to Chairman Jeon Gyeong-won.

“Chairman, thanks to you, I’ve returned safely.”

Perhaps it was because he had just met people he didn’t want to see, but upon seeing Chairman Jeon Gyeong-won, he felt a sense of joy and didn’t refuse the enthusiastic hug.

Chairman Jeon Gyeong-won, who had been wearing a tense expression since the delegation walked in from afar, maintained a steady tone until the end.

“Jin Hyuk, you’ve worked hard. Thank you so much. You’ve fulfilled a long-cherished wish. I’ve watched the competition footage over and over with a repentant heart.”

He simply did his best because he went to the competition.

He liked running, so he devoted himself to it, and because he ran, he got good records. Because his records were good, he stepped onto the Olympic stage, and because he did, he won a gold medal. Somehow, he became someone who brought glory to the nation. It was an ordinary flow…

‘…If I say that, I’ll sound like a jerk.’

Since it was a stage Jin Hyuk had desperately wanted, he shouldn’t say that.

In times like this, a common greeting is better.

“Thank you.”

“We won’t hold back on support in the future.”

“I’ll work harder.”

“Haha-, I’ve held you for too long. Go see your family. Hey-, Seon-kyu-! You finally did it-.”

Leaving Chairman Jeon Gyeong-won, who was reaching out to Jin Seon-kyu, behind, he turned around.

Jin Hyuk spread his arms wide and approached. Toward his family, who were looking at him with wide eyes.

Jeong Won was clapping his hands as if urging him to come quickly.

“Yay! Yay, I’m here! Yay! Beep beep-! Dad’s here!”

He pulled the youngest, who was squirming in his dad’s arms to get to his brother, up.

“Wow-! Our youngest has grown so much in a month!”

“Don’t even mention it. Every time you appeared on TV, he screamed and ran around. When he got tired, he ate, then ran again, then ate again.”

Han Yu-young smiled as she stroked her eldest son’s cheek.

Her smile was perhaps the greatest blessing for Jin Hyuk. She smiled like the spring sunshine, unchanging.

“Oh my-, did our Jeong Won play that hard?”

“Played-! Played a lot-! Chased the chickens-! Ran around-!”

What is he even saying?

Son Kwang-yeon stepped in to translate.

“They showed Jin Hyuk’s matches so much on TV that Jeong Won didn’t even have time to rest. He said the living room was too small, so he ran around the yard with Jang Gun-i even in this heat. He must want to be an athlete like his brother. He even got pecked by a chicken while messing around with it.”

“A chicken? Did it escape again?”

“No, I just, you know-, I let one out to see if he’d do what you did when you were young.”

Son Kwang-yeon scratched the back of his head.

Sigh-.

Even so, he’s still a little kid, and you let a chicken loose to train him? Dad’s something else.

“Oh dear, our baby must’ve been in so much pain.”

“He cried so much the yard almost collapsed.”

“Ran around-! Clucked-!”

Ahem-.

Yoo Se-ra, who had been watching the family reunion with a warm heart, cleared her throat.

“Kwang-yeon oppa, Jin Seon-kyu is here to greet you too.”

“Hello! I’m Jin Seon-kyu!”

Jin Seon-kyu bowed so deeply his head almost touched the ground.

You could vaguely see Jin Seon-kyu’s feelings, folded like a folder.

He’s the one who made the shoes that allowed Jin Hyuk to step into the 9-second zone and become a medalist. If Jin Hyuk were Jin Seon-kyu, he would’ve done the same.

“Oh my-. Our Soo-jung has grown so much and become even prettier than her mom.”

“Hehe-.”

While Han Yu-young and Hong Soo-jung hugged and caught up after a long time, Yoo Se-ra flipped through her notebook. Jin Hyuk’s mom is good at lying, she muttered.

“We skipped the parade, but we’ll have a press conference… Seon-kyu and Jin Hyuk must be tired. Can you handle it?”

Yoo Se-ra asked the athletes for their opinions once again.

Even if she acted arbitrarily with adult authority, Yoo Se-ra actively reflected Jin Hyuk and Jin Seon-kyu’s opinions in the schedule. She was so enthusiastic about her role as the athletes’ representative that she immediately rejected the parade requested by the nation.

After hanging gold medals around their parents’ necks, they headed to the airport terminal where reporters were waiting.

“Don’t we have to wear the medals during the press conference?”

“It’s fine if we don’t.”

Jin Seon-kyu shrugged at the question.

No doubt, they’ll be asked to pose with the medals around their necks, biting them.

It’s not just because they dislike that. It’s the reason why they’re going without the medals.

「If you give them everything they want, you can’t tame them. You can only say you’ve tamed them when you give them just a speck of what they want while getting everything you want. If you give them everything they want, you’re the one being tamed. Make them perform tricks, lick your toes, and guard your territory. All while placing a single grain of feed on a golden tray. What they can take is just the feed, but the ownership of the tray remains unchanged.

Popularity is about craving attention and striving to attract it. It’s to maintain power. Their power is temporary. They’re ready to flutter around like moths, chasing the halo of someone stronger than them.

Seclusion or mysticism might free you from attention.

But remember.

The freest existence is the one in power.

A true person of power is someone no one dares to look directly at.

Do you want to live freely and ordinarily?

Power is freedom.

Only those in power can fully enjoy their daily lives.

Only those in power are shameless.

You’ll understand what I mean and what kind of freedom awaits you in front of power only after experiencing it yourself.

I’ll hand over the power I’ve prepared without conditions.

You’re worthy of it.

But first, prove that you’re worthy of it.

In front of the world.」

It wouldn’t be wrong to see this as a trial given by Hong Ki-jun.

The van sent by the Sein Group, waiting on the runway. It was a vehicle prepared to allow them to leave the airport directly with their family without going through immigration procedures.

In the past, he would’ve buckled up his siblings, closed the car door for his mom, and followed them into the car.

‘I used to find solving quizzes or test questions so fun.’

The personality of a neutered house cat, a perverted cynic, hasn’t gone anywhere.

Just slipping away wouldn’t be polite to the people waiting.

Reporters who didn’t get the photos they wanted would be bitter, but if they said they gave the gold medals to their parents first, people would be impressed.

Jin Seon-kyu poked Jin Hyuk’s side.

“You’ve probably experienced it too, but reporters can be a bit…”

“What?”

“They curse at athletes while taking photos.”

“Curse? You’ve heard it too, senior?”

“Of course. I went home and cried. I was so angry.”

Jin Seon-kyu shook his head as he recalled the past.

It was when he won a gold medal at the East Asian Games, so he was 24, three years younger than now.

– “Hey! Look over here! Let me take a photo too!”

– “Don’t grab your leg, stand straight, you jerk-.”

– “Smile, damn it! Why are you making that face while taking a photo-.”

– “Sigh-, these kids these days have no spark. Why are they all so clueless?”

Back then, his face turned red, and he couldn’t say anything as he left the arrival hall.

Jin Hyuk gripped Jin Seon-kyu’s shoulder firmly.

“I won’t let that happen again. No, we have to make it together. Isn’t that what you said a senior should do?”

“It’s not easy, you know. When you’re actually in front of the cameras and microphones, you can’t think of anything… Reporters have power.”

“That power is relative, right? Back then, you didn’t have power, so that’s why it happened. When you don’t have power, your perspective narrows, and you lose your composure. It’s like when we train, right?”

“True. But…”

When you lack stamina, your hands go to your waist, and your head faces the ground.

Your perspective narrows, and all you can think about is running away.

“You said you didn’t want to pass the burden to your juniors, right? You can start changing now.”

Jin Hyuk smiled faintly and looked back.

Yoo Se-ra and Yoo Jin, who had been following closely, and Hong Soo-jung were looking up at him.

Yoo Se-ra waved her hand near her chest like a shy person.

“Take care.”

“Aren’t you coming? You’re the chairman of the foundation and the agency’s representative.”

“No. Today, I’ll yield to the medalists.”

The brat has grown up, then acts mature, it’s hard to adjust. Yoo Se-ra turned her head to the side and muttered, regardless of Hong Soo-jung’s strange look.

“What about Yoo Jin? Do you want to go with your brother?”

“Yes! I am Son Yoo-jin!”

He put a flower garland around Yoo Jin, who was jumping excitedly, and lifted her with one arm.

“Soo-jung, let’s go too.”

“Ah-, I don’t think it’s my place to go.”

Hong Soo-jung stepped back.

“It is your place. You’re qualified too.”

Hong Soo-jung glanced at Yoo Se-ra’s expression.

She must want to stand together. Yoo Se-ra’s daughter, that personality won’t go anywhere. There must be desires that couldn’t be expressed because of her parents who kept her hidden.

Yoo Se-ra smiled warmly for once.

“Hey, daughter. It’s your life now. Do as you please.”

“Ah, Dad-.”

“Dad’s not here. Mom will handle it.”

Yoo Se-ra shrugged with a natural expression.

“Right, Soo-jung was part of the cheering squad, right? Cheering squad members are staff too. Go with your uncle.”

Jin Seon-kyu joined in and gave his flower garland to Hong Soo-jung.

Jin Seon-kyu, who had gained courage from talking with Jin Hyuk, looked like he had a lot of strength in his shoulders.

“Then, then. You were a proud cheering squad member. It’ll look much better than just stiff old men going.”

Kim Hyeong-tak also agreed with the athletes’ decision.

As the translucent gate approached, the crowd beyond it came into view.

The situation Jin Seon-kyu had worried about, based on past experiences, didn’t seem likely to happen.

Jin Seon-kyu’s wide-open mouth proved it.

“Wow-. What is all that-.”

Click click click-!

Click-!

Numerous cameras already flashing toward the silhouettes beyond the gate.

Kyaaaa-!

And cheers.

The same situation as the past couldn’t happen.

Kyaaaa-!

Waaa-!

The people filling the terminal, cheering, and in front of them, the SSS lined up like palace guards.

The SSS agents stood with their backs to the gate, prepared for any situation, their motionless, statue-like figures exuding charisma.

‘What’s this. If they support us like this, I won’t even get a chance to prove myself.’

Anyway, the chairman is interesting.

Jin Seon-kyu tried to guess the meaning behind Jin Hyuk’s words.

In such an atmosphere, any reporter who made a slip of the tongue or cursed would be buried. Not just socially buried, but literally buried in the ground, judging by the aura.

Swoosh-.

The gate slowly opened.

“Senior, hand-.”

“Oh! Right!”

He waved his raised hand.

Toward the dazzling flashes.

Kyaaaa-!

“Soo-jung, Yoo Jin, smile-. Don’t tremble.”

“Hehe-.”

Hong Soo-jung smiled brightly and mouthed, “Hello, I’m Hong Soo-jung,” even though no one could hear.

“We’ve returned safely-!”

Son Yoo-jin, held by her brother, did a belly button bow.

Kyaaaa-!

Cheers also gathered for the living Olympic mascot.

‘Cheer. For my people.’

The world had already changed completely.

Economy, society, science and technology, military power. Nothing is the same as before.

It was all due to one person: Hong Ki-jun.

He found pearls buried in the dirt, supported them, nurtured them, and eventually transformed eccentric inventors into genius engineers. These people came together and gave wings to the storm called Sein. This became the solid foundation of Hong Ki-jun’s power.

And Hong Ki-jun began to blatantly show that all these efforts were directed toward one person. Starting from the Busan competition.

No one can treat Jin Hyuk’s people carelessly.

If until now Jin Hyuk acted like a fool to make people his allies, now there will be people trying to make Jin Hyuk their ally.

The politicians who came to greet this young athlete are proof of that.

You think it’s just a simple sports event?

The ability to read between the lines is what allows you to read the times.

The politicians who came to greet Jin Hyuk can be seen as having some foresight.

Moths move toward fire, and those who seek power move toward the center of power.

By instinct, transformed into gravity.

That is the way of the ordinary human world.

The gate fully opened, and Jin Hyuk, holding Yoo Jin, stepped into the press conference room.

[-They’ve appeared! Please give them a big round of applause and cheers!]

Kyaaaa-!

What’s with the host?

Is this a fan meeting?