Chapter 57

#57 <The Joker Boss (4)>

*

“Jin-hyeok-aaa. Seol-chan-aaa. Janggun-aaa.”

A voice calling from the distant yard could be heard.

Every time Jin-hyeok hears that voice, it feels like he’s dreaming.

Every time he sees his parents calling him, he sinks into similar emotions. It’s like facing a pastoral sketch painted with heavenly sounds, and his heart faintly warms up.

“Let’s go.”

“Yeah, yeah. They’re waiting.”

The two friends, bitten by mosquitoes and covered in red spots, headed home carrying a catfish. Janggun, with his short legs and soaked belly, followed behind, carrying the red sunset on his back.

“Mom, what should we do with this?”

“Give it here.”

Han Yu-young took the catfish and pierced its gills and mouth with a string. It was a skillful move. The catfish, now bound, would spend the night in the pond.

“Tomorrow morning, I’ll make sujebi and spicy catfish stew for you.”

It was a death sentence for the catfish, but the three human males drooled in anticipation.

“It’s amazing.”

Jo Seol-chan muttered.

The experience of catching something with his own hands and turning it into food was novel.

Jin-hyeok felt proud at Seol-chan’s reaction. Even if the path was crooked, as long as it led to Seoul, the result was roughly what he had planned.

***

Son Jin-hyeok isn’t just playing around during his vacation.

While Jo Seol-chan and Yoo Jin were building blocks, Jin-hyeok discussed enzyme replacements for pesticides with his dad.

“Did you check the manufacturing conditions of other houses?”

“I did. The ingredients are pretty much the same.”

“What about the fermentation conditions? The growth environment, or rather, the environment should be the same for the enzyme performance to be similar, right?”

Son Kwang-yeon subtly shrunk his neck.

He felt like he was being scolded by his son for no reason.

“No, I just…”

Kwang-yeon’s voice, which had been gradually fading, eventually muted itself.

Jin-hyeok started drawing a chart on the back of a wall calendar with a marker and filling it in with a pen.

Kwang-yeon followed with his eyes, reading the words being filled in.

“Temperature, humidity, time, additives…?”

Jin-hyeok was puzzled about how his dad developed the enzyme.

After watching the movie <Red Sorghum>, he heard a story about a drunk man peeing in a wine jar and creating an amazing liquor. Maybe his dad accidentally developed it too.

‘Did he really pee in it?’

But the enzyme his dad had been using for years had consistent effects. It not only prevented pests but also improved crop growth. Even the corn grew much taller than others, to the point where cattle farmers reserved corn stalks for feed.

Jin-hyeok had a reason to unlock the key his genius dad couldn’t explain.

Perhaps it was preparation for the distant future.

‘If we want to commercialize it, we should definitely organize the recipe.’

Even though they were living comfortably as a landowner and his son, Jin-hyeok felt it was a waste to let his dad’s talent go to waste. He felt like he had found a good item while making a resolution to do anything for happiness.

Everyone around him living happily and well. Jin-hyeok’s idea of success wasn’t just about living well alone.

‘If dad makes money from the business, he won’t have to secretly dig up land.’

To do that, they needed to solve the prerequisite of establishing universal trust in the alternative pesticide. That was gaining farmers’ support for its production and efficacy. So, they spread the technology to neighbors and encouraged direct testing. There was no better promotional effect than proving its effectiveness on a large scale.

Jin-hyeok drew a long arrow representing a timeline at the top of the calendar and explained.

“…Like this. First, we need to match the manufacturing environment. First, check what environment dad is manufacturing in. We need to set a time every day and check. I’ll help during the vacation.”

“Uh-huh. Okay. But Jin-hyeok.”

Kwang-yeon scratched his cheek and looked at his son.

“Where did you learn this?”

“There’s agriculture, technology, and science in middle school.”

Schools these days really teach practical subjects. Kwang-yeon nodded. After all, Jin-hyeok’s agriculture textbook had helped with managing the fruit trees in the yard. That’s why Jin-hyeok’s lie sounded so convincing.

In fact, Kwang-yeon was also aware of the neighbors’ problems.

He just couldn’t understand why others couldn’t follow his lead, which frustrated him.

During college, Hong Ki-jun often called Kwang-yeon a genius.

The cold and blunt young Kwang-yeon would snort every time.

– “I’m not a genius.”

It’s just that you guys are nothing special.

Thinking of the past, Kwang-yeon’s neck shrunk even more.

‘Ugh… I need a mouse hole.’

Realizing the happiness of building a family and living a carefree life, Kwang-yeon felt how clueless and unlucky he was back then. He felt ashamed anew. Watching his son pull out what was in his head and express it in charts, he thought of the word humility.

He stared intently at his son’s face as he wrote something on the calendar and explained.

‘He looks just like his mom. Having such a child, maybe my wife is the genius?’

Then Yoo Jin, who looks just like him, must be a genius too.

Lately, he hasn’t been tired and has been staying up late. Should we have another one?

“…Got it?”

“Huh?”

Oops, he was thinking too deeply and missed what his son was saying.

When he came to his senses, his son was looking at him with narrowed eyes. His son, who dislikes explaining things twice. This kid is my son, but there’s something scary about him.

“Dad, got it?”

“Hahaha! Of course. Dad knows everything.”

Fortunately, his son wasn’t angry and was imitating his younger sister. It wasn’t a very fitting aegyo, but when a bear-like kid shows off, you have to laugh generously, even if forced.

Thus, Kwang-yeon maintained his authority as the head of the family today.

Well, just doing things as usual will work out, right?

If I get stuck, I’ll just ask Il-heon hyung for help.

***

‘Hmm. I didn’t know I dislike catfish.’

While eating breakfast, Jin-hyeok confirmed his taste.

He hadn’t tried it before, so he didn’t know.

He remembered eating loach with Hong Soo-jung when she was the planning team leader, somewhere near Gwanghwamun.

‘It’s clearly a different substance, but why does it feel similar?’

It tasted like dirt.

Back then, Jin-hyeok also stopped reaching for the loach after tasting it. Others ate it well, but he wondered if his taste buds were malfunctioning because his head was weird. Hong Soo-jung said Jin-hyeok was the kind of man women would like. A good person who gives away precious loach?

‘Eating dirt, this witch!’

Was it really just Jin-hyeok’s taste buds that were weird?

Dad and Seol-chan were devouring the rice and spicy stew without breathing. Mom, who was watching them happily, looked at Jin-hyeok with concern.

“What? Doesn’t it taste good?”

“No. It’s really delicious.”

The broth was edible.

But still, he didn’t feel like eating much, so he decided to have only one bowl of rice.

‘Dirt, dirt. It totally tastes like dirt.’

Maybe because he eats dirt every day, Yoo Jin, who should find it spicy, mixed the catfish meat and broth with rice and ate it cutely.

Han Yu-young placed washed kimchi on Yoo Jin’s spoon.

“Yoo Jin, is it delicious?”

“Yes, hehe. Very much?”

Seeing that, Jin-hyeok thought he should catch catfish for his sister from time to time.

*

The loaches collected from the trap the previous day weighed about 10kg.

Now it was time to start selling as part of economic activities.

“Seol-chan, let’s go sell the loaches.”

“Where?”

“To the market.”

They could sell to health centers or loach soup restaurants, but such places already had main suppliers and wouldn’t offer good prices.

The two friends headed to the town on their bicycles.

Even though they came to have fun, sweating profusely and going out again wasn’t pleasant, but Seol-chan was happy to ride a bike with his friend during the vacation.

“Hehehe-, let’s go slowly-.”

For Jin-hyeok, it was a daily commute, but the 10km stretch seemed tough for Seol-chan. The two friends stopped by a convenience store and drank a cold cola each. Bottled cola is the best.

After a short break, they each had a popsicle and got back on their bikes.

“Let’s go-.”

“Let’s go-.”

Arriving at the market, they handed over the loaches and were paid 3,000 won per kg.

Summer loaches are only 1/3 the price of winter loaches.

“Here, Seol-chan, you take this.”

“Why why why, why are you giving it all to me?”

“Consolation money.”

You peed your pants. Jin-hyeok muttered to himself.

Realizing what the consolation money meant, Seol-chan’s face turned red, and he giggled while carefully storing the three 10,000 won bills.

“Seol-chan, let’s have a kimbap before we go.”

Jin-hyeok, who had only eaten one bowl of rice for breakfast, felt hungry.

“Okay, I’ll buy. There’s a place with delicious tonkatsu near the bus stop-.”

“No!”

Jin-hyeok cut him off firmly, uncharacteristically.

He had decided to only eat tonkatsu at home for the time being.

“Okay…”

Seol-chan saw it as his friend’s way of saving money out of friendship.

They had two rolls of kimbap, costing 1,000 won each, with cool bean sprout soup for a snack.

Just putting ingredients on rice, rolling it in seaweed, brushing sesame oil, and sprinkling sesame seeds, why does it taste so good?

Watching Seol-chan chew vigorously, Jin-hyeok cautiously opened his mouth.

“Seol-chan.”

“Yeah?”

“If you have any hard or difficult times, tell me anytime. Don’t think about pride between friends. I’m not saying this to burden you, I’d just be grateful if you did.”

He was worried Seol-chan’s feelings might get hurt. It was the best Jin-hyeok could do to carefully bring it up.

After pondering for a moment, the usually talkative Seol-chan silently grinned.

It was a relief he wasn’t upset.

‘You must have many things you want to do and have.’

It wasn’t cheap sympathy. Nor was it empty words. Even though Jin-hyeok was still young, he had enough ability to help. It was a gesture of gratitude towards Seol-chan, who treated him as a friend and acknowledged him as the Joker Boss.

‘Looking at you, you’re much more admirable than I was back then.’

But what does Joker Boss mean?

Was it an ironic nickname given to him for his lack of humor?

Chewing on a radish pickle, Jin-hyeok tilted his head in confusion.

***

Seol-chan adored Yoo Jin immensely.

Jin-hyeok thought it was because Seol-chan didn’t have siblings, but Seol-chan said other friends’ younger siblings weren’t as cute.

“Wow-, how can a kid be as pretty as a doll? She’s like a Miss Korea candidate-.”

Seol-chan’s affection for Yoo Jin remained, but after seeing Choi Mi-kyung, a teenager, he started acting strangely. Seeing Choi Mi-kyung, who came to deliver pickled radish, Seol-chan suddenly spoke in a Seoul accent.

“Jin-hyeok-, my mom said to give this to you.”

“Hello-. I’m Jo Seol-chan, Jin-hyeok’s best friend.”

“Hello.”

Choi Mi-kyung smiled brightly, her eyes crescent-shaped.

Seol-chan stuttered like a Mongolian soldier struck by a halberd.

He couldn’t sleep, tossing and turning while looking at the bright moon.

Perhaps feeling restless, Jin-hyeok, lying straight with his eyes closed, quietly advised.

“Seol-chan, if you can’t sleep, go sleep at Janggun’s.”

“Kekeke-.”

Even after Jin-hyeok returned from hiking to the top of Gubong Mountain in the morning, Seol-chan was still fast asleep. He had been up all night. But Seol-chan’s passion found a new target.

Taking Yoo Jin to buy ice cream at Lee Hae-won’s store, Seol-chan acted strangely again upon seeing Hae-won.

“Yoo Jin, buy whatever you want! This Seol-chan oppa will buy it all for you.”

“Yay-.”

Jin-hyeok couldn’t understand why Seol-chan was shouting when no one was listening. Since Seol-chan had been acting like this for a while, he didn’t pay much attention.

“Why are all the girls in this neighborhood so pretty?”

On the way back home, holding Yoo Jin’s hand, Seol-chan stuck out his tongue.

Jin-hyeok couldn’t find the words to respond.

To Jin-hyeok, they were just kids.

*

The day came for Seol-chan to return after staying for 2 nights and 3 days.

“My grandma is alone…”

Seol-chan swallowed his regret and left the house.

Han Yu-young told Seol-chan to visit often and gave him some pocket money.

Seol-chan, sensing Han Yu-young’s mood, mumbled something incoherent.

Only then did his mom smile brightly and hug him tightly, and Seol-chan finally shed tears.

“Come visit often if you miss your mom, okay?”

“Take care-.”

Even though he insisted he was fine, his dad started the car.

Jin-hyeok loaded a bicycle into the trunk. It was the bicycle Seol-chan rode when they went to sell loaches.

“This is for someone with short legs. It’s too low for me, my knees hurt. Ride it to school.”

“Okay. I’ll ride it.”

Jin-hyeok tends to talk a lot when he’s careful not to upset the other person. Having spent time together, Seol-chan also pretended not to notice and let it slide.

Looking out the car window, Seol-chan kept muttering.

“This was the happiest time of my life…”

It wasn’t a statement meant for anyone to hear.

How could one express such lingering emotions in words?

Even if it wasn’t a happiness that would last forever, the smile on Seol-chan’s face was a clear emotion, more vivid than a faint memory.

“Thanks to the Joker Boss-.”

On the way back home, Jin-hyeok felt an inexplicable sense of satisfaction.

The love his parents showed his friend had returned to him.

‘If I had people like this in my life before.’

If there had been someone who treated him like that in his past life.

Could he have uttered words of happiness like Seol-chan?

Even if just for a moment.

“I’m happy.”

He filled each new day with comfort.

Praying that it would reach the him living in the past.

“Dad, how fast are we going now?”

“Huh? 70 km/h.”

“Can you go 10 km/h faster?”

Vroooom-.

If our son wants it, why not? Kwang-yeon increased the speed. Thinking his son was experimenting by reaching out the window to grab the air. But why was he touching his chest with his left hand? Seeing his serious expression, it didn’t seem like a joke.

‘Kid, what are you thinking?’

Sometimes, he’s a mysterious son.