Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Growth Pains
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It was when he arrived home after completing the sacred meow-meow experiment.
“Ugh...”
“What's wrong?”
Son Gwang-yeon looked at Jin-hyuk with concern as he let out a short groan while getting out of the car.
Sudden pain had come to Jin-hyuk, who had been experiencing new joys every day.
Compared to his past life, it was a minor ordeal that could be dismissed, but it was by no means light.
His back.
He'd only gotten out of the car, but he couldn't straighten his waist.
It was a sweltering season.
The homeowner's yard was a very, very hard dirt floor, with a platform and a large zelkova tree above it providing shade. It meant it was incredibly cool and a great environment for a dog to live in. General was a smart dog, so he knew this much.
Woof-.
The doghouse made of logs when the house was rebuilt a few years ago was pretty comfortable too.
However, General's favorite spot was somewhere else.
The furrow between the yard and the field. It had originally been General's bathroom. After observing people, he'd decided to designate a spot for his business like they did. Then, suddenly, a sprout appeared there, and a tree grew.
It was an acorn tree.
General remembered exactly where that tree came from.
Probably... around three winters ago?
Or was it?
General vaguely remembered where the tree came from.
Back when it was tiny, about the size of the yellow mutt at his female friend Cheomungmung's place across the big field. Well, it was still bigger than General back then, anyway. The kid at home had put acorns in his food bowl.
Feeling sorry, he'd piled on top of them with those smelly but tasty treats.
General sniffed and looked up at the acorn tree wistfully.
...That acorn that explored inside General's body had sprouted after a few winters passed.
Woof-.
- I pooped out an acorn tree.
Or was it gave birth? He'd never given birth, so he didn't know the right term. Well, dogs might not know anyway.
Dog toilet. In simple terms, dog poop field. Nothing's as potent as dog poop, but this crazy acorn tree was even tougher. They say even rolling in dog poop makes you appreciate life in this world—guess plants aren't exceptions. That's what they call strong vitality. The acorn tree that took root in the dog poop field even bore fruit in midwinter.
He'd heard that Chunyi from the neighboring village used a magnolia tree as his toilet, and it bloomed in winter too. Trees can't talk, so he didn't know their feelings. But General thought:
Woof.
- It's tougher than my poop. I lose.
So General changed his bathroom spot. The kid at home didn't seem too happy about it, though.
Grrr-, heh heh hek-?
No, what's wrong with a dog pooping in the yard? Right? Right?
In winter, the kid even dug up my poop with a shovel like he was playing golf. Humans are something else.
Anyway, excluding sleep and playtime, he decided to live under the acorn tree. It was a sign of loyalty to the victor. And so, the acorn tree became the second victor acknowledged by General.
The first was the homeowner's son. This guy had cut his fur short and suddenly started running faster than General. Maybe he'd been holding back all along.
General thought short fur made you run faster.
But on second thought, no. When the season got hot, Auntie trimmed his fur, but his speed didn't improve.
Back in the day, Chicken Johnson, who ruled an era, didn't suddenly gain peak speed when all his feathers were plucked—he couldn't even take a step. So there must be another secret besides fur.
Grrr-.
General observed the homeowner's son closely. Then he realized.
Aha, the bump on the back of the big bald head was the secret.
So today, General rubbed the back of his head on the dirt floor.
Heh heh hek-.
Grow, bump.
Whoa, feels so good for a dog.
Thud, thud—footsteps approached.
Heavy yet cheerful steps. It was the master homeowner.
Lately, the son from the homeowner's place hadn't been around.
He showed up sometimes, but he didn't run like before or feed him.
He's changed...
His walking gait was awkward, like that kid from the Mary house in the inner village when he got horned. Was that guy's name Yukwawwal or something?
Did the master homeowner's son get horned too?
Bipedal males are all the same.
'Must be growing pains.'
They called it growing pains, right?
His back aside, his whole body's joints ached and itched.
'I thought I was used to pain, but this feels unfamiliar.'
Too burdensome to go up and down to his room, Jin-hyuk camped out in the living room.
He limited outdoor activities to occasionally opening the glass door to call General and petting him when he came running.
Even during break, when his childhood friend came over, he had to build their friendship lying flat in the living room.
“Jin-hyuk, has that friend gone?”
During the semester, they'd been apart for a bit, so teenage Choi Mi-kyeong was being cautious.
But a few words of conversation were enough to readjust. That's what true friends are like, after all.
“You know, there's this girl in our class from Chowon Apartment who's a total fake. She's all prim in front of the teacher, but when it's just kids, she curses and hikes up her skirt— you listening?”
Jin-hyuk just repeated “I see” until he passed out.
His friend's clear, melodic voice was more effective than any painkiller, like a landscape chime.
“The church is doing summer Bible school at the beach and wants me to come. No way, our neighborhood has clean beaches too—why should I go to church for that?”
Teenage Choi Mi-kyeong sat in front of the dozing Jin-hyuk, diligently brushing his hair behind his ear, and left. She'd picked up a new habit of fake-coughing “Ahem—” now and then.
He couldn't see her off, but having a friend visit made Jin-hyuk happy despite the pain.
On days Choi Mi-kyeong didn't come, Choi Tae-yang visited.
“Jin-hyuk—! Wrestling—.”
“Ehehe—. Oppa sick? No play with Yu-jin?”
“Really? That iron man is sick?”
“Hyung, wrestling good?”
“Huh?”
Bored Yu-jin, blocked by Mom's ironclad defense from bothering her sick brother.
Choi Tae-yang had come for wrestling but ended up piggybacking Yu-jin around the neighborhood.
Even after playing with Yu-jin, he wasn't free.
“Maybe if an athlete massages it, it'll feel better—. Whoa—hot.”
It was because of Son Gwang-yeon, who was brushing General's fur and muttered it.
“Does this feel cool?”
“No. No feeling. Knees cool.”
“Weird. Even with pressure, no give. Did you implant steel plates under your skin?”
What? The siblings competed in saying weird things. Still, Jin-hyuk wasn't bored thanks to the Choi siblings.
It was when Choi Tae-yang, whose hands were numb from massaging Jin-hyuk so hard, was leaving.
Yu-jin bounced around like a cheerleader.
“Hyung come tomorrow too? Yu-jin wrestled? Hyung tall fun? Yu-jin said thanks? Ehehe, thanks hyung?”
Oh, Yu-jin.
Choi Tae-yang glanced at Jin-hyuk pleading for help, but Jin-hyuk turned away.
“Ahaha... Yu-jin sure knows short and long words well...”
Who could refuse Yu-jin's eyes?
Choi Tae-yang came every day, crushed by those eyes. He even asked Mom to make a mosquito net baby carrier, saying it was to keep Yu-jin from getting hot.
Seeing Yu-jin happy without her brother made Jin-hyuk happy.
Jack-of-all-trades Jo Il-heon gave him green pills like goat dung, claiming they were a cure-all. Curious, Jin-hyuk tried one, but it just tasted like grass.
'Not actual goat poop, is it?'
Ptooey—spit spit—.
Thick green liquid sprayed out like a venom stinger.
Around the end of the Barcelona Olympics, Hong Gi-jun's family visited.
Much improved, Jin-hyuk even stood to greet the guests.
It was earlier than usual, so Jin-hyuk and Son Gwang-yeon guessed Hong Gi-jun had rushed because of their bet.
But no.
“I dragged Su-jeong's dad here by force so he wouldn't collapse from overwork.”
Hong Gi-jun said he'd taken on a lot.
He even added that he was living a month like ten years.
“My goodness, Jin-hyuk seems even bigger than at graduation?”
“Oppa why so big? Bigger than Daddy?”
Yu Se-ra and Hong Su-jeong wore the same expression. Like cats startled by something.
You grow by exercising, eating well, and sleeping well—but how to explain that?
Jin-hyuk recalled past Hong Su-jeong.
Tiny tot.
Best not to dwell.
“Oppa, oppa! Me too jump rope and running? And, uh, uh, lift, uh, barre, uh, uh—.”
Something about doing all sorts of things.
Jin-hyuk patted Hong Su-jeong's head in praise and peered into the kid's mouth. A proud kid like her, why the lispy baby talk? He remembered her as sweet but not one to act cute sober.
'Lost her front teeth all at once. Needs dentures.'
Wondering how she ate, Jin-hyuk barely held back laughter, face turning red.
Growth rates vary, so he shrugged it off, but Hong Su-jeong seemed a bit late. Didn't milk teeth fall out around 7 or 8? No parenting experience, Jin-hyuk chalked it to individual differences.
Anyway, she was cute. So cutely, he cupped her cheeks and sang a serenade.
“Toothless stamp—don't go to the stream—. Baby loach startled—.”
“Othi!”
“Ack!”
Hong Su-jeong punched Jin-hyuk in the solar plexus.
A solid hit loaded with emotion and weight. Special forces level, for sure.
“Daddy sings that old song every day—. Don't sing it—.”
She threw a spicy punch but sulked without getting vicious.
Jin-hyuk patted her head again in apology and slowly sat on the sofa.
The bright, cheerful kid was fun to watch, but pain rising from his back twisted his face.
Using the armrest for support, he lowered himself gradually.
Seeing this, Yu Se-ra's face shadowed.
“Is Jin-hyuk hurting somewhere? Injured? Because Su-jeong hit you?”
“Ugh...”
An old man dying groan slipped out unwittingly, so Jin-hyuk shut his mouth.
He just waved it off, signaling he was fine.
“His back feels like it's breaking, but the hospital doesn't know. Acupuncture only helps briefly.”
Lip-biting Jin-hyuk was covered for by kind Son Gwang-yeon.
When they got out after dropping off Jo Seol-chan, he thought it was surprise. Son Gwang-yeon had felt similar during farm work with sudden temp/humidity changes.
But when his usually healthy son couldn't get out of bed next day, Son Gwang-yeon and Han Yu-young panicked. No running or hiking, his favorites.
Couldn't bend his back easily, so Son Gwang-yeon was feeding General too.
“Shouldn't you go to a big hospital? Like a university one. There's one in Cheonan, right?”
“We did all that. Better after ten days, so watching while resting.”
They'd gone to town clinics, neighboring city hospitals, even hot packs and acupuncture at the herbalist.
Improving bit by bit, so observing.
“Let Auntie check.”
No, this auntie!
Without warning, Yu Se-ra yanked up Jin-hyuk's shirt.
“Whoa—look at those muscles. Can a body be like this?”
That's not the point now! He wanted to protest but just squeezed his eyes shut.
While Yu Se-ra examined his back, he turned obediently.
Might as well make it easy to see.
“Does it hurt here?”
“No.”
She pressed several spots firmly, but no pain.
Yu Se-ra nodded, muttering to herself.
“Looks like that.”
“That? What's that?”
Son Gwang-yeon quickly asked, hopeful.
Yu Se-ra had always been quirky but sharp since childhood—maybe helpful.
“Growing pains.”
“What's that?”
“Learned it studying youth athletics—.”
Until the 20th century, few teens openly had growing pains. But with good nutrition and exercise, explosive growth happens, keeping growth plates open. That consumes energy, causing fever-like aches.
'What? I'm not feverish.'
Jin-hyuk, Son Gwang-yeon, Han Yu-young—all speechless.
Because of Yu Se-ra's smug, proud face. Sounded plausible, but symptoms didn't match.
Hong Gi-jun, holding Yu-jin and cooing “Dunga dunga ya—”, closed his eyes like a meditating monk.
“Listen more. So, it means—the growth speed of joints—outpaces muscles, nerves, and—”
Human-genius Yu Se-ra started glitching, stumbling.
Someone stop her.
'Where've I seen this before?'
Felt familiar. Tilting his head, Jin-hyuk's gaze caught Hong Su-jeong.
The toothless kid gaped, looking up at Mom proudly.
Yu family sure are smart. That's my mom.