I Will Not Live as a Genius

28. Hanon Seven

Midterm exams have started.

The midterm exam was held over two days, and on the first day, five subjects including math and national history were scheduled.

My plan is to get 94 points and be 8th in the whole school.

Of course, you need to adjust the strength appropriately according to the difficulty of the test.

the first day of the exam.

I take the test paper and read the questions… .

Hmm… .

This doesn’t make sense at all.

On the way home after the exam that day.

Youngmi answered my question about the difficulty of the test.

“Compared to last semester’s final exam?”

“yes.”

“Well… Mathematics seemed to be a little easier, and Korean history was also a little easier. Hmm… It definitely seems easier this time.”

“really?”

While Youngmi nodded, Incheol’s voice was heard next to her.

“What are you talking about! Today’s exam is very difficult. How difficult was the national anthem? And math was really hard. The last two questions were out of scope for the exam.”

Youngmi and I looked at Incheol without saying a word.

“uh… ? what? Don’t you guys believe me now? Because it’s real! Today’s exam was really difficult.”

Youngmi nodded her head.

“Well… Yes, after listening to Incheol… It must have been a little difficult.”

I quickly turned my head to Youngmi.

He asked, ‘Really?’ with only the shape of his mouth, and Yeong-mi smiled and shook her head slightly so that In-cheol could not be seen.

OK!

Plan edit!

Because the difficulty of the test was very easy… .

It was revised from the original plan of 94 points to 96 points.

If this score… . Even on the same difficulty level as last year’s final exam, I’ll be in 6th place in the whole school.

next day.

When the English and social studies exams were over, I went to Youngmi’s class and received a reply from Youngmi that today’s exam was also quite easy.

I decided to raise the score a bit more.

Finally, the last moral test is over, and in this midterm, I will get a score of 96.2.

* * *

A week later.

I visited Korea University and knocked on the door of Professor Park Bo-soo’s lab.

When the door opened, Professor Park and a male student were sitting facing each other and talking in the lab.

While I was sitting, Professor Park said to the male student.

“Did I say something before? You just have to keep it.”

“Yes, Professor.”

Professor Park introduced the male student who was sitting at the table.

It was a student named Jo Yoon-seok, whom Professor Park spoke of last time.

While Yoon Seok was greeting his older brother, Professor Park handed me a bundle of thesis papers and said:

“Now, these are the papers you asked for last time.”

“ah… ! thank you!”

While receiving the bundle of papers and putting them in the bag, Professor Park said.

“There have been quite a few papers on string theory, are you now looking for and studying physics papers?”

“ah… ! that… I just think I will need it later.”

“Then when you go to college later… You’re not going to the physics department, are you?”

“haha—! That’s not it. I think the string theory will be a hint for studying the Riemann hypothesis.”

Professor Park nodded and said.

“I see. Well then, let’s go Let’s talk more over dinner.”

“Yep.”

Also!

Pizza Hot in the university district has a different atmosphere.

Perhaps because of the atmosphere, the bulgogi pizza is even more delicious.

While eating pizza, Professor Park said.

“Jeongho, the conference will be held in mid-December. It is hosted by the Korean Association of Mathematicians, would you like to go together?”

When a first-year middle school student goes to a professional conference, he is bound to stand out.

I didn’t want to get that much attention already.

I told Professor Park.

“In mid-December… I have to miss school… I think that would be a bit difficult.”

Professor Park said to me.

“The conference is Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. It’s been three days like this, so I think it’ll be okay if I come on a Sunday?”

“I… that is… .”

The professor confirmed my hesitant expression and said.

“Are you doing this because only adults will come to the conference?”

“yes… .”

Professor Park looked at Yoon Seok-hyung instead of answering, and Yoon Seok-yi opened his mouth.

“There is an awards ceremony on Sunday.”

“An awards ceremony?”

This time, Professor Park answered.

“Yes, there is a math olympiad competition on Friday morning, and the awards ceremony is on Sunday morning, so a lot of middle and high school students will attend.”

Professor Park looked at Yoon Seok-yi hyung and said.

“Yoon Seok-ah, don’t you have a promotional pamphlet?”

“yes! Wait.”

Yoon Seok Yi hyung handed me a piece of paper from the bag.

23rd Middle School Math Olympiad.

date. Friday, December 16, 1994.

Place. Korea University College of Science.

While reading the pamphlet, a familiar name caught my eye.

presentation chairperson. Seongsu Ha (Korea Science High School)

Seongsu Ha.

He was a superstar instructor at the academy where I worked in the past.

It was so popular that it was over 100 million won in taxes alone for two months during summer vacation.

He was famous for being strict, and not only his personality… He was also an expert in the field of mathematics.

If Seongsu Ha is the chairperson of the exam, there is nothing to look at this math olympiad problem.

There will be only one geometry problem of the highest difficulty.

’cause this is your style

Professor Park said to me.

“actually… Jung-ho, I asked you to come to the conference because there was something I wanted to show you.”

Professor Park raised his eyebrows towards Yoon Seok-yi, and Yoon Seok-yi said to me.

“Is there a program you made? Drawing that Riemann zeta function… .”

“yes.”

“I’m preparing for a presentation by writing it down. So I thought you might want to see the presentation… I told the professor.”

I suddenly wondered what the result of Yunseok hyung’s words was.

And Professor Park smiled at me and said,

“And I’m giving a keynote speech at the closing ceremony of the society, and I want Jeong-ho to come and watch the speech too… .”

“Professor, keynote speech?”

Professor Park nodded and said.

“I think you will like it.”

“Am I going to like it? What is it?”

“You will know that when you come and see for yourself. ha ha ha—!”

uh… ? what?

Professor Park smiled at my curious expression.

“by the way… This pizza is perfect for my taste. haha–.”

On the way home after dinner.

Yoon Seok-yi hyung and I got on the subway together.

The place where Yoon Seok-yi lives is a long way from Namseo-dong Station, where I get off.

However, when the subway stopped at Namseo-dong Station, Yoon Seok-yi got off the subway despite my words that it was okay.

“It is very dark, so it can be dangerous. I’ll take you to my house.”

Coming out of the subway station, we walked towards the apartment complex.

As Professor Park said, Yoon Seok-i hyung hardly talks.

I answered my question in a short-answer form only, and when the answer was finished, there was silence again.

eww… It’s really awkward.

I’d rather go home alone at the subway station… .

I’m not even an elementary school student.

The older brother, who had been walking without a word for such a long time, said.

“thank you.”

“yes? What?”

“The professor told me. Research topic… It’s actually your idea.”

Unlike a doctoral degree, in the case of a master’s degree, in many cases, a specific research topic is directly determined by an advisor.

Professor Park told Yoon Seok-yi hyung that it was my idea.

Then… Professor Park has a bit of a closed corner.

It was a strange situation to say no to me.

While thinking about what to say, Yoon Seok-yi hyung said.

“don’t worry. Because the professor told me not to tell anyone else.”

“ah… !”

“By the way… Why are you hiding your powers?”

“just… I want to live a normal life.”

In response to my answer, Yoon Seok-yi nodded his head without saying a word.

We walked silently again, and as we entered the apartment complex, I said.

“Brother, I can go alone from here. Thanks for taking me.”

“Yeah, be careful. Then see you next time.”

Traumatized people limit their own behavior.

My words that I want to live a normal life… In fact, it is as if the wounds of the past are part of the trauma left behind.

Yunseok hyung was similar to me.

Looking into his eyes… I could feel his trembling eyes.

Did my eyes look like that in the past life?

* * *

The next day was school closing time.

The homeroom teacher opened his mouth.

“In my class, I came out 3rd in the whole school.”

The teacher said along with the murmur of children.

“Chae Jung-ho!”

OMG… what?

It must have been 96.2 points… Have you ever had a problem with a wrong setting?

The disappointment that I failed to control my power… I walked out to the front of the classroom with clumsy steps.

As soon as I got the report card, I checked the average score… .

A score of 96.2 is correct.

With this score, you are ranked 3rd in the whole school?

It means the exam was very difficult.

Incheol was right.

Suddenly, the teacher’s voice was heard.

“Everyone applaud!”

I watched the children clapping or banging on their desks by the school table.

My friends really congratulated me for finishing 3rd in the whole school.

When I got back to my seat, my friends around me said in low voices.

“Wow—! Jungho, you are amazing.”

“Great! Great!”

“I thought I would buy you one day. congratulation.”

“Jeong-ho, I will take you as my teacher from today. please tell me the trick yes?”

I feel weird.

Worrying that people will be jealous.

perhaps… I wondered if I had been living my life worrying too much.

The homeroom teacher, who handed out all the report cards, said at the end of the ceremony.

“Chae Jung-ho!”

“yes.”

“Come over to the office for a moment on the way home. I have something to give you.”

teaching room.

My homeroom teacher told me about the science contest.

As Youngmi said, a total of 10 people will participate, and the participating students will gather in the science room once a week to practice experiments with the science teacher.

So I was listening to the explanation of the science contest.

A passing gym teacher recognized me and said in a hoarse voice.

“uh… ! Chae Jung-ho! He said he was 3rd in the whole school this time! I thought he was only good at soccer, but he was a hidden genius!”

To the PE teacher’s words, the surrounding teachers added a word one by one.

“Are you Jung-ho? Did you always stare at the blackboard in class and be dazed, and study secretly from behind?”

“If you jump from 140th to 3rd, you should try taking 1st place in the whole school next time!”

“congratulation. There are often children who come to middle school and bloom in full bloom… You are that style.”

“ah… ! Are you 3rd in that school? Someone said… He was a kid who was always hanging out with the class leader of Class 13.”

“If you’re the class leader of class 13, isn’t this the first child in the whole school with a perfect score? What was the boy’s name?”

“This is Kim Young-mi.”

“That’s right, Youngmi.”

English and American saying that this test was exceptionally easy.

It wasn’t a lie.

Rather than the teachers’ praise… Youngmi’s perfect news made me feel better.

My homeroom teacher handed me a thick book.

＜Mathematics Olympiad Previous Questions>

The homeroom teacher said with a smile.

“The 1st, 2nd and 3rd place of this whole school will compete in the Math Olympiad. The competition is in December, so when you have plenty of time now, take it easy.”