Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: The Son of Rejection
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Time passed peacefully, and May arrived.
Son Jin-hyuk didn't just run and lift weights.
Recovery training was essential too. His muscles needed proper relaxation after the shock. He drank orange juice and ate a banana, then walked around the track at a steady pace, massaging his whole body to prevent knots.
"Hoo-, so stiff-!"
He could feel his body growing day by day. His T-shirt was getting tight, and his pants were shortening.
The spring physical exam measured his height at 175cm. They said it was taller than the adult average. The only friend taller than Jin-hyuk was Lee Seung-hoon. Shin Woo-sung was the type who spread out sideways.
Am I building a 21st-century physique?
It must be thanks to eating well, sleeping well, and exercising every day. He felt a surge of gratitude for his parents.
There was a track meet in June, so Yeom Byung-taek, Jo Seol-chan, and two kids he'd never seen before were running laps too. Those two were athletes from other rural elementary schools, apparently.
Didn't see them at last year's county prelims.
They probably only trained mornings and evenings to avoid missing class. No official sports club yet, so no excuse to skip.
Sitting on a bench, massaging his legs while watching his friends, someone approached.
"Training over?"
It was PE teacher Lee Byung-se. Track coach, but no pro.
His nickname was probably "gossiper." Covered in shaggy hair and dark skin, he looked like a beast.
Jin-hyuk despised him. In his past life, he'd seen him harass a female teacher in the classroom. Staying late to study, he'd witnessed it and timidly smashed a window to interrupt.
The feel of that glass shattering was thrilling.
Jin-hyuk's first act of rebellion.
Lee Byung-se had raged for over a week to catch the culprit. Jin-hyuk's poker face saved him.
"You're on the track team—gotta compete, right?"
He declared Jin-hyuk a track team member on his own. Technically not wrong.
Track wasn't by nomination; any student could represent the school.
Lee Byung-se was foul-tempered, dirty, and looked like a booze-and-women guy. Jin-hyuk missed Teacher Kim Young-tae. If they booted Lee, maybe Kim could come? Probably not, due to elementary-middle school divide.
"Can I just do it in third grade?"
"Why? You've got talent and good records. Gotta stay consistent or you lose it. Wasting talent is no good."
Lee Byung-se scowled at Jin-hyuk.
Jin-hyuk sensed a need for more explanation. He had a killer line lately.
He was as polite as possible. Lee seemed different from before.
"I've got a little sister at home."
Staring straight, Lee Byung-se backed off.
"Oh, yeah? Got it."
Yu-jin was the best. Even this jerk backed down. Jin-hyuk just wanted to rush home and hug his sister.
Even after the concession, Jin-hyuk kept staring. Old memories fueled his defiance.
I'm not backing down.
Lee glanced away. He wasn't short on athletes anyway. First- and second-years were just for experience; top records came from third-years. Weird, though. Yeom said this kid's family was well-off. But now they seemed strapped.
Or maybe they went bust in a year?
Lots of families ruined by bad loan guarantees lately. Tough with a little sibling to care for.
Turning away, Lee Byung-se tilted his head.
But what kid has eyes that scary?
He glanced back, met Jin-hyuk's gaze again, and flinched. Jin-hyuk hadn't moved.
Idiot.
Still, Lee Byung-se felt satisfied. Jin-hyuk was confirmed on the team.
At least not stolen by wrestling.
Jin-hyuk had secured another ordinary day.
Just compete in third grade.
Competing meant leaving family. That was his only worry. Hanging with friends was fun, but even a day without family felt empty.
Living ordinarily doesn't mean rotting talent or hiding.
He didn't want fierce competition. He'd tasted the emptiness at its end. Family dulled it now, but priorities existed. Family first for him.
Anyway.
Compete at peak and grab records. No dedicated track at home or school anyway. No training regrets. Run on quiet country roads or beaches. Long jump pit behind house matched international specs, built by Dad for wrestling.
He even sourced fine sand.
Cats once invaded, but after General caught them using it as a litter box and beat them off, it stayed pristine.
Family and home were the best.
Basking in warm thoughts, Jin-hyuk rolled his shoulders and waved to the track team friends.
"Byung-taek, Seol-chan. Wanna race 100m?"
"Sure."
Competition experience like this worked too.
Yeom Byung-taek and Jo Seol-chan had grown taller and longer-limbed over winter break. But not like Jin-hyuk. Especially not in main events.
"Uwaa-, gap with Jin-hyuk widened more."
"Hey, Jin-hyuk. How'd you get so much faster?"
"Bike to school."
20km round trip.
Every day.
Actually, he lapped the field 20 times before they even commuted.
Catching his breath, Jin-hyuk shouted boldly.
"Let's fix your form!"
"Uwaa-!"
Yeom Byung-taek and Jo Seol-chan bolted faster than in their match with him.
They'd suffered from his "form fixes" before.
Just fixing form would shave seconds.
Jin-hyuk smacked his lips at Yeom's flailing arms and Jo's splayed knees.
Midterms ended, sports day awaited. Elementary split into two teams for fall field day; middle did class relays in spring. Unfamiliar. Not his first rodeo, but...
He'd skipped everything but team events before.
Too scrawny to include.
A bitter smile crossed his lips.
Anyway, zero tension then or now. Skipped before; everything easy now.
Jin-hyuk joined soccer, wrestling team, relay.
Good build, couldn't opt out; rookies' shining eyes tugged at him.
Class rep's gotta lead by example.
Wrestling individual: Lee Seung-hoon won. Wrestling kid not winning? Scandal.
But a loser got roasted.
"Whoa whoa!"
"Hey hey!"
Thud-.
"What was that?!"
"Hey! Disband the wrestling team!"
In team wrestling, Jin-hyuk slammed the other class's wrestler into the sand. Taller, nearly 100kg.
Compared to Tae-yang hyung, this guy's weak as tofu.
Hooked the leg mid-lift, iron-clad stance; gripped the straps, shook side-to-side, toppled balance expertly; raw power behind it all.
Jin-hyuk dominated. Feigned a knee dip, then tiger-like waist countered the rush. Masterstroke.
"Second one ate the same."
"Judo move?"
"Kinda similar."
"He's a real monster."
The wrestler got chewed by coach Sung Bu-hyeon mid-match. But the coach, who'd seen Jin-hyuk's rope climbs, just grinned.
"You good?"
Jin-hyuk felt bad, but competition was cruel. Couldn't throw it. Brushed sand from the guy's hair to apologize.
The wrestler, who'd wanted to cite Jin-hyuk carrying high school captain or KO'ing third-years, shut up.
Middle school soccer.
Fantastic. Shots flew to basketball court; passes aimed at stands. Jin-hyuk's eyes glazed watching sweeper from keeper's view.
Some skilled kids, but all looked same to him.
I could boot it in boots and do better.
Keeper squeezed eyes on over-bar shots; ref Lee Byung-se rolled clutching groin from Yeom's kick. Justice shot; kids cheered.
What... Shaolin soccer?
Past life soccer fan; played amateur, army pickup. Loved running, led to soccer.
"Hey! Trip him!"
"Hiss-! Damn fast!"
Volunteered defense to help, but crap shots raised his BP. Dribbled past; neither other Jo Seol-chan nor Yeom kept up. Sidestepped keeper, two goals. Long shots risked hitting someone.
Tweet-!
Yaaah-!
Cavalry battle began with hearty whistle.
Rider's feet touch ground, done. Wings help, but center horse grips tight, wins. Jin-hyuk happily horsed.
Chae Gyu-ho atop grimaced.
"Class rep, gonna puke. Balls hurt."
"Hang in there, buddy."
Gyu-ho tired, wanted off, but Jin-hyuk's thighs clamped. Dodged clashes, ran circles. Weak rider.
I'm killer at evasion.
Recalled winter donkatsu threat, fueled grit.
Enemy horse collapsed, legs buckled. Victory.
Picnic or sports day, lunch was best.
From shade-reading loner to group bento-sharing. Heart-fluttering.
Post-lunch rest.
"Whoa-! What's that?"
Unseen trucks entered field. Cargo with giant hotdog pics.
VP grabbed mic at podium.
[Snack truck for our students. Prepped by headcount, line up orderly-.]
Wooo-!
[Hey! Order! Damn it-!]
Order went out the window.
Jin-hyuk joined chaos, ditching decorum amid friends. Blend in crowd.
Tall, stood out.
Was there this before?
No, weird. Whatever. Chaos with friends was fun.
Heh. Grin spread.
Afternoon: another truck.
Woooaaa-!
Wing opened; cheers deafening, echoed to town. Roars.
High school classes peeked out windows. Teachers, kids united.
[Bam-para- bam-pa-pa-.]
Cheerleaders.
Basketball fest TV sisters on school field? Pandemonium expected.
"Aigoo-! Noona! I'm dying-!"
"Seoul girls-!"
"Noona! Say my name once-! Yeom Byung-!"
"You slept through today-!"
Jin-hyuk shouldered Gyu-ho for view. Shorty's tiptoe hops softened him.
Stood tiptoe with him atop. Better view.
[Dum-chit- dum-chit-.]
Jin-hyuk's jaw dropped. Shoulders bobbed auto. Gyu-ho whined like cavalry, but senses elsewhere.
Good, good. Dang hot. Right, right.
Another sensitivity blooming.
Basketball. Last ball sport.
Center kid shorter than Jin-hyuk, sprained ankle. Jin-hyuk subbed. Grabbed all rebounds. Collisions toppled foes. Tossed to half-court friend, sprinted baseline; ball returned. Layup.
"His hand hit the rim, right?"
"Think so."
Defenders hadn't crossed half yet.
10km marathon.
Open entry. Top ranks got points. Tae-yang Middle had Lee Eun-soo, ex-Chungnam rep elementary.
"Huh? Wasn't Jin-hyuk sprinter?"
Jin-hyuk finished first.
Lee Eun-soo chewed by Lee Byung-se.
Jin-hyuk's feats won Class 1.
Ordinary sports day done.
"Oh, that track meet banner last year was Jin-hyuk?"
"Thought Tae-yang Elementary champ."
"Same diff. Teacher Kim Young-tae coached-."
Jo Seol-chan blabbed excitedly whenever Jin-hyuk came up.
"Our Joker boss swept 'em-. What'd those hicks run?"
"Jin-hyuk's nickname Joker? Why?"
"That's big-."
Jo Seol-chan clamped shut. Met distant emotionless gaze from Jin-hyuk.
"Last relay runner's Joker-. Hey, class starting. Go, go."
Pushed friend's back.
Jin-hyuk tilted head at fleeing Jo.
Saw me, weird? Was gonna say hi.
Jin-hyuk's build, early incidents, sports sweep. No kid unaware. School life conflict-free.