A Genius Speaks with Money

Chapter 4

“This fellow is joking in front of his grandfather! Hahahahaha.”

I, Lim Hyunjun, opened my eyes wide and spoke while looking at Lim Man-seok.

“It is not a joke, Grandfather. I do not joke about things like this.”

“If it is not a joke. Does that mean you can really even get 1st place?”

“Yes.”

When I answered so confidently, Kang Ji-yeon scolded me.

“Hyunjun, you should not do that.”

“No, Mothe... no, Mom. I always keep the words I have spat out.”

At my firm answer, Chairman Lim Man-seok'

s expression became cold.

It was a face like a great mountain and like a tiger looking down at the world.“Right, when my grandson says he will try to get 1st place, I should not call it a joke as a grandfather. Fine. If you bring a report card with 1st place, I will grant you what you want.”

My expression brightened at once, and I asked excitedly.

“You must not say two different things with one mouth. Grandfather.”

“Hey. What do you take this grandfather for? I also do not say two different things with one mouth.”

“Yes, I will believe you since there are many witnesses here.”

At my absurd answer, the Lim family, including Lim Man-seok, burst into laughter that echoed throughout the room.

***

Chairman Lim Man-seok and Mrs. Yoon Myeong-sook left the hotel and got into the car.

Inside the quiet car, Mrs. Yoon Myeong-sook opened her mouth first.

“Chairman. About Hyunjun.”

Lim Man-seok looked out the window without a word and then replied in a low voice.

“The boy is eighteen this year, right?”

“That'

s right. He only did such pretty things when he was young, but now he has grown up so much.”

At his wife'

s words, Lim Man-seok snorted.

“He'

s a fellow who is lucky if he doesn'

t cause an accident. I wonder who he took after to even bluster like that. Ahem.”

“Oh. I think he said it because he has grown up now. Look at his attitude today. It has clearly changed from before.”

As Yoon Myeong-sook spoke while smiling contentedly as she recalled Hyunjun, Lim Man-seok still wore an expression as if he were unreliable.

“Well, he only talked big.... If that were something that could be done just by studying briefly, everyone would be in 1st place.”

Even as he said so, a sense of satisfaction was contained somewhere in Lim Man-seok'

s gaze. Yoon Myeong-sook built a smile while examining her husband'

s expression.

“Even while being that content....”

Lim Man-seok coughed for no reason and turned his gaze out the window.

“It is a good thing that my grandson says he will study hard. Until now, I thought it was a relief if he just didn'

t cause an accident.”

“I thought Hyunjun would return someday. He is a child who would not even have wondered if that incident in his childhood had not happened.”

“…That is true.”

***

It was the moment my family was also getting into the car to return home.

For some reason, Vice Chairman Lim Do-kyung received the car keys from his attendant secretary.

“I will drive directly today.”

The hand of Vice Chairman Lim Do-kyung, who sat in the front seat and gripped the steering wheel, was particularly tense.

Kang Ji-yeon, who sat in the seat next to him, sighed repeatedly and glanced at her husband and the back seat.

Then, Mrs. Kang Ji-yeon cautiously opened her mouth.

“Hyunjun, why did you say such a thing?”

I, sitting in the back seat, was calmly looking out the window.

My expression was faintly reflected beyond the car window where lights brushed past.

I opened my mouth while wearing a soft smile without revealing any particular emotion.

“…Because it is something I can do.”

Vice Chairman Lim Do-kyung spoke in a low voice.

“Do you really think you can get 1st place? Making people expect nothing and then not being able to do it is no different from lying.”

“I did not lie while blustering for nothing. I only spoke because I am confident.”

As I looked forward, my eyes met Lim Do-kyung'

s beyond the rearview mirror.

Although there was no word between each other, numerous emotions passed between the two.

There was still no shaking in my gaze.

Lim Do-kyung looked at my expression and said no more.

Mrs. Kang Ji-yeon rather turned her head slightly and looked at her son while wearing an expression as if she were surprised.

“It is a good thing for parents that you say you will study hard. However, you were not cautious in front of your grandfather. Perhaps.... No.”

I could guess what it was my mother stopped saying.

I replied while shrugging my shoulders.

“I will work hard so that my parents are not disappointed this time.”

Silence lingered in the car at my answer.

The expressions of Vice Chairman Lim Do-kyung and Mrs. Kang Ji-yeon were dark, as if they were still worried about their son.

However, I seemed not to care at all.

I thought to myself while looking at my own appearance reflected in the car window.

‘I was Jeong Taeshik.’

If the memories had not remained intact, I would not have been able to say the nonsense from earlier.

When I lived as Jeong Taeshik, I was a very smart person.

My memory was also good, so even if I looked at a book, it was basic to memorize what content was written on which page.

People'

s words and actions, and even repeated patterns were organized in my head.

I looked at, heard, analyzed, and judged those.

On top of that, there was something I learned after meeting the family members this time.

Looking at the way Chairman Lim Man-seok treats my uncle and my father.

My uncle was a figure he wanted to raise.

My father was a figure marked as incompetent.

It was certain that Chairman Lim Man-seok had belittled my father several times in front of the family members until now.

No matter what Vice Chairman Lim Do-kyung said or what action he took, it would have eventually rushed toward the conclusion of ‘pathetic fellow’.

So today as well, in the same way, the usual behavior appeared just as it was.

If I had not been able to cut it off there, my father would have had to endure the insult once again.

‘If I were just to watch that, I wouldn'

t even be a son.’

Even so, it was not as if a grandson could step forward openly and raise a revolt against his grandfather.

So what I thought of was this.

I intended to be proudly recognized in front of my grandfather while making myself stand out.

Showing confidence and instilling belief.

If I do that, Chairman Lim Man-seok will at least no longer create situations where my father is shamed in front of the family.

‘He'

s a person who would do so even for the sake of his grandson.’

I smiled while looking at the city landscape through the window.

Outwardly, I looked very relaxed. However, an unwavering resolution was gathered in those eyes.

As soon as I returned home, I headed straight to my room.

Since the goal was set, as they say to strike while the iron is hot, there was no reason to hesitate.

On one side of my desk, several reference books and workbooks that had no trace of even being opened were placed.

However, it looked quite insufficient with just this.

While rummaging through the books, I picked up my phone and then called Secretary Choi Seo-jun.

“Secretary Choi, please come to my room.”

After a moment, a knocking sound was heard, and Secretary Choi Seo-jun quietly opened the door.

“Secretary Choi, please help me.”

“What is it?”

I brought up the main point immediately.

“Please prepare the national mock exam papers for the last 3 years, workbooks, and textbooks for all subjects. In the latest revised edition if possible.”

Choi Seo-jun'

s flustered look was evident for a moment.

Soon after, he regained his composure and asked me.

“Are you talking about all the materials for the second year of high school?”

“Hmm....”

I agonized and then spoke again as if I had changed my mind.

“Could you perhaps prepare everything for all middle school grades and all high school grades as well? Since it'

s been a long time, my memory is hazy.”

Choi Seo-jun nodded his head briefly and then replied.

“I will prepare it by tomorrow morning.”

I wore a surprised expression for a moment at the faster-than-expected handling, but I thought it was rather a good thing.

Once the secretary left, I immediately sat at my desk and opened my laptop.

I began analyzing the question trends by subject while investigating recent education trends.

I quickly skimmed through what types of questions appear frequently in the case of mathematics.

What the required pattern is in English listening. What types are important in the Korean language section passages.

I organized all elements systematically like a person establishing a management strategy.

Having the brain of Jeong Taeshik, I was trying to read down to the intention of the questioner rather than simply solving problems.

‘I must produce a definite result in the mock exam that will be in March.’

It was very enjoyable for me to study after a long time.

Even while experiencing all sorts of hardships living as Taeshik, I never let go of studying.

At that time, I was so envious of friends who studied to their heart'

s content in such a good environment.

Studying was the easiest. Is there not occasionally a person who says such words.

I was a person for whom those words fit perfectly.

While living, studying was the easiest and the most fun.

***

It was when 3 weeks had passed after the new semester began. On my desk, opened textbooks and notebooks filled with notes were piled up.

I was solving problems without even knowing the time passed because I was concentrating.

At that time, the room door opened quietly.

It was my mother, Mrs. Kang Ji-yeon.

She peeled the fruit prettily, put it on a plate, and then entered her son'

s room.

“Son. Rest for a bit and eat some fruit.”

Mrs. Kang Ji-yeon even felt proud inwardly while looking at her son who had completely changed.

She said while putting the plate down on one side of the desk.

“If you do it until this late, you will ruin your body.”

I tried to raise my head and look at my mother, but for a moment my vision went dizzy and the tip of my nose became hot.

Red liquid dropped with a plop onto the workbook.

“Hyunjun! You'

re having a nosebleed.”

Mrs. Kang Ji-yeon was startled and fumbled around.

I wiped the nosebleed with the back of my hand and laughed as if it were nothing.

“I'

m fine, Mom. It seems I was just a bit tired.”

Even at my calm reaction, deep worry was contained in Mrs. Kang Ji-yeon'

s face.

She hurriedly brought tissue, wiped the nosebleed for me, and let out a sigh.

“It is fine even if you do not go this far. So hurry and rest.”

“I'

ll do just a bit more.”

I rolled up the tissue, stuffed it into my nose, and said while sending my mother out of the room.

“Mom, don'

t worry and rest first. Don'

t stay up late because of me. I am perfectly fine.”

“I'

ve got it. You also sleep quickly.”

“Yes. Since my Queen Mother has commanded it, I shall do so.”

As I joked around while making a fuss, Mrs. Kang Ji-yeon laughed, held her son'

s hand, and then left.

I clenched and opened the hand where the warm warmth remained, and the mischievous expression I had just now changed to a firm one.

Actually, it was partly that I was working hard for the goal called 1st place.

But I was working harder because it was very fun right now.

Why would I want to sleep while doing something fun?

Someone would call me a crazy fellow if they heard.

For me, who has vigorous intellectual curiosity, studying was a fun and happy thing.

It was the day I took the exam after a few days had passed.

I was very relaxed, but my parents looked at me with somewhat tense expressions.

“Do not worry.”

“Worry.... You'

ve gone through a lot during all this time. Let'

s feed him something nutritious today. The child'

s face has worn out.”

“I'

ve got it. I'

ll prepare it with all my might, so I look forward to it.”

While my family was having a happy dinner, Choi Seo-jun headed somewhere.

It was exactly the Chairman'

s office of Taeseong Electronics.

In his hand, the test paper for the National Union Achievement Evaluation that I took was held.