Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: New World (3)
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Tweet-!
The practice of running with tires tied around their waists and passing batons back and forth continued. It was training to strengthen their core, abs, and leg muscles, passing the baton at a relatively slow speed. Until the motion of handing it off and the timing of receiving it became second nature. Over and over.
"Even if it's tough, you have to master it! The basics are the most important! And the basics of a relay are the baton pass!"
Kim Young-tae scanned the athletes' form with sharp eyes.
Tweet-.
Whoosh-!
When the whistle blew, the runners' arms sliced through the air.
Thrust-.
It wasn't just dropping the baton. They had to push it into the next runner's hand with just the right force. The next runner kept their eyes forward, doing high knees in place, then gripped the solid stick tightly the moment it touched their palm.
Tweet-!
"Seol-chan! Keep those knees up even while receiving the baton! Don't just stand there!"
That way, they could burst out immediately. Like a drag race car revving its engine in neutral, they had to keep their legs pumping. The kids were inwardly surprised by the passionate side of their PE teacher Kim Young-tae that they rarely saw, focusing intently on the training.
Tweet-!
"Aaaah-!"
Jo Seol-chan suddenly screamed and collapsed.
"Seol-chan! What happened?!"
"Seol! You okay?"
Startled by the sudden sharp cry, Teacher Kim Young-tae rushed over.
Jo Seol-chan's preceding runner, Yeom Byung-taek, looked at his friend with worried eyes.
The meet was a week away.
If anyone got injured, they'd have to forfeit the relay. There were no reserve players per the rules. And more than that, if his injury kept the others from competing too, how crushed would Jo Seol-chan feel? The moment he heard the scream, Kim Young-tae thought that far.
Jo Seol-chan stood up, propping himself on the ground, wearing a ridiculous expression.
His face was full of exaggerated grievance.
"Aigoo-, I'm so tired~. Teacher, go easy on us~."
"Hahaha! Seol's faking it again."
"Aigoo, this kid. You're in sixth grade now and teasing your teacher?!"
The kids laughed at Jo Seol-chan's thick dialect, catching their breath, while Kim Young-tae couldn't even get mad and just patted his chest in relief. Then he chuckled too.
Tweet-! Tweet-!
Unfortunately, Jo Seol-chan's show didn't work. Kim Young-tae, who had been laughing like an uncle, blew the whistle even more fiercely. He blew so hard that spit dripped from the whistle.
"Faster! Brace your core! Shoulders back!"
When training ended, the kids collapsed everywhere.
The track club's practices were infamous for being boring and grueling. Backs breaking, thighs bursting, hearts squeezing in pain. How fun could dragging tires around the field be?
Jin-hyuk tilted his head.
'Kids these days have such poor stamina?'
It might be tough for them, but for Jin-hyuk—who ran long distances daily and followed his own workout routine—it was a joke. He just enjoyed sweating it out with kids his physical age.
"Start with Ji-beom, Byung-taek second, Seol-chan third, Jin-hyuk anchor."
"Yes, sir."
They'd trained in that order anyway. This was just a final check before the meet.
"Good work, everyone-."
"Thank you, sir!"
The sight of the kids greeting their teacher in unison was novel too. Full of military-like vigor, but with faces bright as kids should be.
Everything felt unfamiliar yet fresh to Jin-hyuk.
'What a fun world.'
From right after lunch until 5 p.m.
Like that, the weekly—one or two sessions of—relay training ended.
Some might say practicing baton passes with tires was hardly relay training, but to Kim Young-tae and the Tae-yang Elementary athletes, it was deadly serious.
'Kinda disappointing. It was fun with training buddies.'
Jin-hyuk smacked his lips, shaking dirt off his yellow spikes.
In rural areas where they grew rice, transplanting started early May.
Depending on weather, sunlight, and average temperatures, some did it in April, or based on rice seed varieties. Hand-transplanting was later, but since mechanical transplanters took hold, schedules stayed consistent yearly unless freak weather hit.
"Wanna go see where Oppa and Dad are?"
"Gonna, go."
At Yu-jin's toddler talk, Jin-hyuk unconsciously clamped his legs together.
I said no need. He grumbled inwardly.
'Argh, trauma.'
Carrying his sister Yu-jin toward the paddy, General trotted happily behind.
The warm spring sun and breeze carrying the scent of paddy mud and water stirred excitement.
'Never noticed before. It smells this good.'
His sister, cradled in his arms, rolling her jet-black eyes to take in the world and fumbling his face with soft hands, amplified the happiness.
"Ehehe-."
Now four, Yu-jin found everything novel—playing with dirt clods, poking around with sticks. Her hair, tied in a ponytail with a rattle hairband like an apple stem, was adorable.
Son Gwang-yeon walked around holding a wooden board with a notepad, jotting or checking things, never stepping into the paddy himself. Neighbors had eyed him strangely at first.
- "Why's the farmer makin' others do all the work?"
That's what they said, but deep down, they meant a farmer wasting money hiring help instead of working himself. Son Gwang-yeon knew, but just smiled. He only hand-worked crops for family, hiring for the rest.
"Jin-hyuk, know why Dad farms like this?"
After Yu-jin conked out from playing in the sun, Dad asked while carrying her home on his back.
"'Cause you hire people?"
"Right. The uncles and aunties think Dad's weird."
Soon all rural areas will be like that. Not 'cause they're landowners like Dad hiring help, but no one to work. But I get why Dad farms this way. He's managing.
Couldn't say that.
"So you can spend more time with Mom, me, and Yu-jin. Farm work tires you out, so you can't otherwise."
Jin-hyuk bullshitted, thinking of other kids' families. Their "time with Dad" was just "helping with farm chores."
"Spot on."
Huh?
Like catching a mouse by the cow's leg.
"Dad... didn't have family."
"......"
Jin-hyuk held his breath, sensing Dad's family history—something he never heard easily.
Dad usually dodged or changed topics.
Hoped for details, but Dad didn't elaborate.
"That's why living like this with my family feels so good."
Son Gwang-yeon grinned at Jin-hyuk.
He surveyed the paddies, hills, and fields ringed by reservoir and sea. Fourteen years since arriving empty-handed to this tidal-flat reclamation land thick with salt and mud smells. Nearly 200,000 pyeong now his.
"Heard of management? That's what Dad does."
Jin-hyuk nodded.
With an 'I knew it' look.
"Efficiently allocate time and resources. Delegate to skilled hands. I'd save labor buying a tractor and driving it myself, but it'd cost big upfront, and I'd slave all day on these fields. Dad just plans schedules, manpower, machines."
'Cause he has money.
'Cause he scraped it bare-handed, clinging desperately.
"Hiring means spending big each time, looks wasteful to others. That's why they farm themselves."
Then get sick.
Too exhausted, give up, leave the countryside.
"Thanks to hiring, Dad studied farming at broadcasting uni, learned crop methods at rural extension offices. Checks real estate in town for good deals. Chats with you, plays baduk."
Couldn't say "made a little sister midday"—best part, but not to brag to his son. Son Gwang-yeon kept boundaries unless essay fodder.
'Dad's a real genius.'
Born businessman.
Korea Univ business grad—not just book smart. Lost him so pointlessly last life, lived in grief.
'Thank you.'
Jin-hyuk bowed inwardly to whoever sent him back, unknown. Vowed not to squander it. This precious second life. For family. Stroking sleeping sister's head on Dad's back, he swore.
"Dad, baduk?"
"Sure. How many stones handicap?"
Dad brazenly demanded handicap.
Jin-hyuk stared, stunned; amateur eyes gleamed eagerly.
Desperate anticipation.
"Handicap in a real match?"
"Aw, Jin-hyuk-."
Solemn Dad gone, goofball remained.
Fears eels but loves them.
Fears sparrows but drools "tasty."
Dreads matches with Jin-hyuk but happy just playing.
"C'mon, Jin-hyuk-. One point's 10,000 won-."
Son Gwang-yeon chased his son's heels, jostling Yu-jin's head on his back.
'Lose today? But don't know how.'
World demands learning to live ordinarily.
Heh heh heh.
Jin-hyuk grinned slyly, picking up speed.
Just 'cause someone ran alongside.
A few days passed.
"Our son. Sure Mom and Dad don't need to go? No motion sickness meds?"
"Yu-jin should see too. It's far to Gongju."
When else this love?
Body past middle school, soul over 40. Still baby in parents' eyes. Jin-hyuk loved it. No—past life's missing love made him happy.
Today, Dad gripped the wheel as always.
Day before meet, gathering at Tae-yang Elementary.
"Jin-hyuk, have fun. Don't obsess over results."
I know our boy runs well, but not an athlete—how great can he be? Dad's eyes said. Pulled out wallet.
"Buy friends treats."
Dad handed bills. Last ones untouched. Bit more, fancy MTB bike. Nose tingled oddly; Jin-hyuk got out, shouldered bag.
Rattle-.
Bowing to departing Dad's car, sliding door opened behind. Yeom Byung-taek yelled.
"Jin-hyuk-!"
Gray van in school field? Borrowed for meet. Friends waved big grins. Barely hung out, yet so glad—kids make friends fast.
"Jin-hyuk in front seat."
Kim Young-tae's ace courtesy. Belted in, van headed to Gongju Public Stadium with Jin-hyuk aboard.
Tomorrow at last.
The national boys' sports festival reps selection—兼 relay meet.