Chapter 297

Karma (7)

*

“We’ll walk along the track just in case something happens. Jin Hyuk, you’ll have to work a bit. Ah, it’s been a while since I’ve exerted myself.”

Jang Jin-nam, who had finally put in some effort, laughed as he rolled his shoulders.

“Thank you for the safety management.”

Jin Hyuk, holding his stomach with one hand, handed the life jackets Jang Jin-nam had brought to the crew members.

The pirates, wearing life jackets, began boarding the boat one by one.

Jo Seol-chan holding a speedometer that looked like a compass, Choi Mi-kyung in rubber-band pants, Kim Eun-jung, who loves to show off her style even in her school uniform on weekends, and Son Yoo-jin, wearing a pirate hat from America and a toy sword.

Even Jeong Won was dressed in an inflatable swimming vest.

“Bear with it even if it’s stuffy. Safety comes first.”

“Yes, hehe-.”

Jeong Won is growing up to resemble his sister more and more. Both in speech and actions.

‘Was I like that when I was young?’

If so, I must have been cute.

Since I don’t have any childhood photos, I can only guess what my younger days were like by looking at my siblings.

Having a sibling who resembles you is truly a heartwarming thing.

Jang Gun and his dog friends, who had been running fiercely, also boarded the boat one by one since there were no more people to board. They’re always fascinating. They must be mimicking humans.

“Oppa, aren’t you going to put life jackets on Jang Gun and the others?”

“Dogs don’t wear life jackets. They can’t swim with them on. And it’s not ‘hole jacket,’ it’s ‘life jacket.’”

Jo Seol-chan held Yoo Jin’s hand and guided her to the center of the boat while explaining.

Even with people and dogs on board, the boat was steady without a hint of swaying.

Thanks to its flat bottom designed based on a panokseon, Jo Seol-chan didn’t tell anyone that he couldn’t make the boat round like others, so it ended up angular.

Still, he ensured straight-line stability by protruding the long and large keel, which supports the bottom, more than the bottom itself.

Now it was Jin Hyuk’s turn to board after finishing the external inspection.

“Oppa, sit here-.”

Yoo Jin tapped the bicycle seat.

‘Hoo-.’

I can’t disappoint my sister, so I internally sighed.

The propeller was attached, but there was no motor.

No oars to row with either.

Instead, Jin Hyuk’s bicycle frame, with the tires removed, was combined with the stern.

The chain that connected to the rear wheel went down to meet the propeller drive shaft, and the handlebars also went down to connect to the rudder and wires via cables.

When you pedal the bicycle, the propeller turns, and when you turn the handlebars, the rudder installed behind the propeller twists left and right to change direction.

A perfect one-man-powered boat.

‘Damn you, Jo Seol-chan.’

This was the result of falling into Jo Seol-chan and Yoo Jin’s scheme.

– “Seol-chan oppa, my oppa has the strongest legs in the world, right?”

– “Yeah-. Jin Hyuk is the best-.”

– “Better than a motor?”

– “Yeah-. Several times better than a motor-.”

– “Like, fifty thousand times better?”

– “Probably?”

– “Wow-! Then if my oppa rows with his legs, we’ll have a boat that’s fifty thousand times faster than a motor!”

Yoo Jin is a smart kid, so she figured that out quickly.

– “That sounds pretty good, huh? Then, Yoo Jin. Later, when Jin Hyuk comes, whine about it like I told you.”

– “How?”

– “Heeing- Oppa doesn’t ride bicycles, he takes the bus, so the bicycle is pitiful, right? If we use it to make a boat, wouldn’t that be okay? Right?”

– “Bi, bicycle? Pitiful? Okay?”

– “No-. You have to say it in Yoo Jin’s way-.”

······And so, Jin Hyuk’s middle school bicycle, which held so many memories, began a new life as the boat’s propulsion system.

At least there were no uphill slopes on the water, so he optimistically thought he could use higher gears to exert less effort, which is why Jin Hyuk ultimately agreed.

What else could he do? Jo Seol-chan had already fixed it to the hull so he couldn’t back out.

Well, he thought he could expect some exercise benefits, so Jin Hyuk decided to endure it.

Getting a leg workout while boating? Killing two birds with one stone.

“Let’s go.”

Jin Hyuk rolled up his T-shirt sleeves to his shoulders and folded his shorts to reveal his steel thighs, signaling the start.

Hoo-.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself.

A summer sky without a single cloud, a breeze filled with the scent of water. Finally, riding a boat on the water······. Feels good.

‘Hmm-, smell-.’

Whose fragrant shampoo scent is this? Yoo Jin didn’t wash her hair today······.

“Huh-!”

Squeak-.

The pedals screamed as they slowly turned-.

“Huh?”

Why isn’t it moving?

It didn’t budge, like tree roots stuck under a rock.

Did I not put enough force?

If I put more, the chain might break.

“Oppa-! Start-!”

“Yeah-. Why isn’t it starting?”

Hey, wait.

“Jin Hyuk, if it’s stiff, shift the gear-, ah, can’t do that now.”

It’s common knowledge that you can only shift gears on a bicycle when the sprocket is rotating.

So, you have to move first to do anything, right?

“Ugh-.”

I don’t even remember the last time I exerted myself like this.

To prevent the chain from breaking, I pressed the pedal gently with immense force.

Squeak-. Peeing-ing-ing-.

A sound like a gayageum scream rose from the tightly stretched chain.

“Ugh-.”

Chwa-, chwachwa-, chwachwachwachwa-!

Pukrurururur-!

Almost······ silent, eco-friendly human-powered boat.

But it’s harsh on humans.

“Ugh-.”

The pain of a hammer hitting my thighs came in waves.

Dung- dukduk kungduk kung-.

‘Wow-, what did they do to make the gear ratio like this?’

The power transmission system urgently needs modification.

It was torture for Jin Hyuk, but the pirates were ecstatic.

“Wow! It’s moving! It’s moving! I am Son Yoo-jin!”

“Ahhh! It’s as exciting as a UFO!”

Even Kim Eun-jung, who rarely gets excited, couldn’t hide her excitement.

Hey, don’t take off your school uniform. Wear the life jacket!

“Oh my! Oh my! It’s really moving? So fast!”

Well, it’s not fake.

But seeing Choi Mi-kyung, a high school senior, smile brightly gave me strength in my legs.

The kid who used to play Superman with a cape has grown up so much. It felt like I raised him myself. Watching a childhood friend grow up and growing together is always a special experience.

Hehehe-.

Woof! Woof woof!

Bark bark!

Jang Gun and his dog friends were also fascinated, running back and forth along the sides of the boat, peeking into the water. Among them, Cheon-ma the shepherd looked like he was ready to jump in at any moment.

“Ohhh-. Much faster than rowing.”

Yoo Jae-woon, who refused to board the boat out of fear, clapped from the shore.

Yoo Jin, wearing a pirate captain’s hat, pulled out her toy sword.

Then she ran to the bow and pointed forward.

“Let’s go! To the sea! Start-!”

Huff huff-.

The seawall is blocking the way, what sea?

“Hahaha! Follow me-!”

Well, as long as Yoo Jin is happy.

I’m happy.

But why am I crying?

Huff- huff-.

Creak-squeak-squeak-.

Chwachwachwachwa-.

‘Wow-. This is really hard.’

The strain is on a whole different level from running on a track.

Sweat dripped from my chin, and my swollen thighs seemed ready to burst.

Huff- huff-.

My eyelashes were wet.

‘Am I crying?’

It wasn’t tears, but sweat seeping from my eyelids. Like squeezing juice from dried squid.

‘Isn’t sweating from your eyelids something that only happens in a sauna?’

The thigh pain was intense, so I changed the pedaling position from the sole to the tip of my foot.

Thud-.

I think I heard my calf muscles screaming.

“Oppa! Fasterfasterfasterfaster! Faster! Raise the sails!”

“Haaaap!”

There are no sails, but if the captain says to go faster, I have to.

Chwachwachwachwa-!

“Fire the cannons-!”

Kyaaaa-!

It’s not cannons, it’s more like a bowel movement!

Gah!

***

Already ten years old. A third grader in elementary school.

After a few days had passed and school ended early, Son Yoo-jin led a group to the waterway.

“Class president, is this a boat? It’s huge-.”

“Kim Ho-jin, it’s floating on water, so it’s a boat.”

Lee Dong-ho acted quite smart.

Son Yoo-jin put life jackets on her neighborhood friends and boarded them on the boat.

She wanted to show off the boat and share the refreshing feeling of a speedboat.

“Noona-! Can Jeong Won come too?”

“Sure, should I carry you?”

Euchaa-.

Already five years old and not light, but she carried him effortlessly, showing off her strong legs. Because she’s the noona.

After boarding with Jeong Won on her back, she urged Jang Jin-nam.

“Uncle! Start!”

“It might sway, so hold on tight.”

“Yes! Kim Ho-jin! Lee Dong-ho! Hold on tight.”

“What-, I’m already holding on. Just grab the railing, right?”

“Can I just sit on the floor?”

Yoo Jin’s best friend, Jang Jin-nam, sat on the bicycle seat, puffing out his chest.

With his muscle mass, he’s not inferior to anyone, so this bicycle pedal is nothing.

“Oooh!”

With a strange shout, Jang Jin-nam showed off his strength.

“Ooooh!”

Showed off his strength.

“Ooooh!”

Showed off his···.

“It’s not moving. Is there a brake or something?”

There’s no such thing.

Seeing Jang Jin-nam, pale and dizzy, Son Yoo-jin remembered what Jo Seol-chan had said.

When they secretly installed the bicycle and propeller before Jin Hyuk returned from school.

– “Hah-. This is so stiff that even an elephant would struggle to turn it. Should we add a crank? Nah-, let’s try it first-. Hmm, right? Jin Hyuk will manage, right? Yeah-. He will-. Jin Hyuk is stronger than an elephant-.”

I thought Jo Seol-chan oppa had a goblin inside him, but Jo Seol-chan always talks to himself. My oppa laughed, saying Jo Seol-chan oppa is like Gollum, but what’s Gollum?

Anyway.

Uncle Jang Jin-nam is definitely weaker than an elephant.

“Oooh!”

“Uncle, stop. Let’s eat tteokbokki instead of boating.”

“Hoo-, maybe? I’m hungry after all that effort.”

Jang Jin-nam wiped the sweat off his forehead with an apron.

‘When will oppa come?’

Uncle Jang Jin-nam only sat on the seat and got off, but he’s already drenched in sweat.

***

Late at night.

Hong Ki-jun’s body, drenched in sweat, glistened under the mood light.

Hngg-.

Kugh- kugh-.

Clenching his teeth like someone exerting great effort, he let out rough breaths and groans.

His face was contorted from overexertion, and sweat dripped from his tense jaw.

“Ugh-, huff-.”

“Honey! Oppa!”

So immersed that even when Yoo Se-ra shook him, he couldn’t open his eyes.

**

Three years ago, summer.

When Jin Hyuk and his friends’ summer camp was nearing its end.

A mountain near Seoul.

Tap, tap- tap-.

As if expressing his discomfort, Hong Ki-jun’s fountain pen tip finally bent as he tapped the car hood out of rhythm.

Given the situation, not being able to spend time with his family on Sunday was one thing······. Listening to the middle-aged man kneeling in front of him complain made his brain feel like it was about to explode.

For Hong Ki-jun, who is as patient as Buddha, this meant he was really angry.

“You, being young, might not understand······ but I’ve pacified the streets with my fists and supported the elders of this country, contributing to national development.”

But Hong Ki-jun is the epitome of patience.

He let the man babble as if it were his last words.

The man was Go Yong-kwon, the boss of New Boss and CEO of Jeoksong Construction. The young man kneeling beside him was lawyer Jin Yoon-ho.

Go Yong-kwon, once the boss of the Yonggari gang that controlled Gangnam and expanded nationwide, survived the war on crime by diligently paying bribes. He absorbed remnants of rival gangs to form a massive organization and founded Jeoksong Construction to meddle in various lucrative businesses. To put it simply, that’s the gist, but he added so much seasoning with heroic tales and hardships that it made your tongue tingle just listening.

“So······.”

Hong Ki-jun, who had been leaning against the car with his hands in his pockets, straightened up.

“Are you saying that since you’re such a great person, we should just let you be? Or are you afraid of repercussions? What, are you trying to say something like that?”

“How dare I say such things to the vice chairman in this state. It’s just-.”

“Begging for your life? Is that so hard? Even while begging for your life, are you worried about your pride?”

Hong Ki-jun’s eyes were filled with both disgust and contempt.

Moon Seok-il, who was watching, twitched his eyebrows.

It had only been two years since he first met Hong Ki-jun through Jin Hyuk, but he felt like he had changed a lot. The chill he felt in the office recently wasn’t a mistake.

“How many lives have you taken or crippled, and now you’re begging for your life? If you wanted to live, you should have restrained yourself before things got this bad.”

“I didn’t know about what happened between the vice chairman’s friend and my brothers-.”

“Not knowing is the crime. The term ‘managerial responsibility’ exists for a reason. You, who have been a boss and CEO, are too naive. You’re much older than me, too. In the military, the ultimate responsibility for accidents lies with the commander, and in the country, all responsibility for accidents lies with the president. Did you not serve in the military or fulfill your duties as a citizen, so you don’t even know the basics?”

I’ve seen one or two people like you who got executive positions and lived carelessly with that mindset. Hong Ki-jun gave a bitter smile.

You need to know.

You need to recognize a crisis as a crisis and seize an opportunity as an opportunity. If you recognize a crisis, you must prepare and deal with it, and if you recognize an opportunity, you must not miss it. Clear your mind of distractions, abandon personal desires, and judge solely based on the community’s interests, taking responsibility for the outcomes.

‘That’s the weight a top leader must bear.’

You’re not qualified. You’re not qualified to breathe the same air as me.

Grabbing his chin, he turned to the man kneeling beside Go Yong-kwon.

“Do you have any reason to live?”