Chapter 3: The Adventures of Minkyu Kim
"Minkyu Kim," the 2-year-old exclaimed proudly, his chubby cheeks flushed with excitement. From that moment forward, he had decided to embrace his new identity fully. No longer just Jake, he had become Minkyu, a determined and spirited young boy ready to take on the world.
As Minkyu grew, so did his understanding of the Korean language. His once limited comprehension blossomed into fluent speech, much to the surprise and delight of his family. He absorbed words and phrases like a sponge, eagerly engaging in conversations with his parents and sister, Eunji. The language that had initially felt foreign to him now rolled off his tongue with ease.
Minkyu's newfound linguistic prowess opened up a world of possibilities. He could now fully express his dreams and aspirations, captivating his family with his vivid imagination and spirited storytelling. He would regale them with tales of cycling adventures, weaving narratives of conquering mountains, speeding through winding roads, and standing triumphantly atop the podium.
Inspired by Minkyu's infectious enthusiasm, Mr. and Mrs. Kim encouraged his passion for cycling. They would take him to local parks, where he would pedal his small tricycle with unwavering determination, imagining it to be his beloved carbon fiber bike. Eunji would cheer him on, running alongside him, pretending to be his coach, while Minkyu's laughter filled the air.
As Minkyu's love for cycling grew, he developed a keen sense of balance and coordination. His tiny legs seemed to move with purpose, as if they were fueled by an inner fire. He would ride his tricycle up and down the street, his hair fluttering in the wind, a contagious smile plastered on his face. Passersby couldn't help but be captivated by this miniature cyclist, marveling at his skill and determination.
His family, too, played their part in fueling Minkyu's cycling dreams. They would organize mini-races in the neighborhood, creating makeshift finish lines with colorful streamers and balloons. The sound of laughter and cheers echoed through the streets as Minkyu sped past, his determination shining brightly.
Despite his tender age, Minkyu's unwavering commitment to his passion was evident to all. He had become a source of inspiration not just to his family, but also to the community. Local cycling enthusiasts would gather to watch this pint-sized dynamo, amazed by his sheer dedication and love for the sport.
In his moments of quiet reflection, Minkyu would envision himself standing atop a grand podium, surrounded by cheering crowds. He imagined the weight of medals around his neck and the pride that would radiate from his family's eyes. These dreams fueled his determination to keep pushing forward, training and honing his skills with the boundless energy only a child possessed.
Minkyu looked down at his small hands and noted how they were still chubby, not yet fully grown. He tried to form words, but they came out in a childlike lisp, making him feel embarrassed. Minkyu knew he was not like other two-year-olds. He was much more intelligent, and his speech and physical abilities were not that of a typical toddler. He was bigger, more agile, and simply had better movement. It was to be expected from a person in a newborns body.
As he observed the world around him, Minkyu realized that it was slightly different from Earth. The stocks were weird, and all the companies were different. Even though he was born in 1990 and it was now late 1991, he recognized none of the brands. Minkyu began to wonder if he had been reincarnated into a parallel universe. It really sucked that he couldn't use his knowledge of stocks here, which he had sort of been banking on in order to get wealthy.
Despite the confusion and frustration of his situation, Minkyu remained determined to achieve his goal of becoming the greatest cyclist in the world and providing for his new family. He knew he had to start small, though, and so he spent his days learning the basics of cycling from his father and practicing on his tricycle. His older sibling would often watch him with amusement, but Minkyu didn't let their teasing discourage him. He was focused on his goal and would stop at nothing to achieve it.
As the days passed, Minkyu's speech improved, and he became more confident in his interactions with others. He continued to observe the world around him, trying to understand the differences between this world and the one he had come from. He wondered if there were others like him, reincarnated into this parallel world, but he knew he couldn't worry about that now.(A/N: theres none for the record) He had a new life to live and a new family to love, and that was all that mattered.
Half a year had passed since Minkyu had made the switch from his trusty tricycle to a real bicycle, much to the astonishment of his family and neighbors. They marveled at the sight of a two-year-old confidently pedaling down the street on two wheels. Minkyu, with his round helmet perched atop his head, beamed with pride.
As Minkyu interacted with his family, he couldn't help but laugh at their antics. His father, whose first name was Hyeonjun, was extremely clumsy and and awkward. He would hold Minkyu in a way where his elbows would dig deep into into Minkyu's chest and back, and it was always uncomfortable. His dad was always flustered, always wandering around not knowing what to do. His mother, Yumi, was constantly forced to guide his father around 24/7, telling him what to do and how to take care of Minkyu or Eunji. Other than that, he was out at work nearly all the time, trying to make ends meet.
Minkyu's mom wasn't much better. She was the disciplinarian of the family, as most mothers are in South Korea. Yet it was apparent that both his parents loved him, in their own ways.
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During bath time, as he splashed in the water, he would secretly imagine himself racing through a torrential rainstorm, imagining the water droplets as his loyal companions cheering him on. It was childish, sure, but it was so hard to not think about what could be.
One day, as Minkyu attempted to put on his own shoes, he struggled with the Velcro straps, his tiny hands fumbling. He couldn't help but laugh at his own antics, thinking, "If only I had a support team like in my previous life. They would've had my shoes on in a second! But hey, practice makes perfect, right?"
One day, while Minkyu was stretching, Eunji, who was now 5 years old, had just come back from school. Minkyu was nearly always active, whether that be biking around the house, walking back and forth, or stretching. He wanted to maximize the body potential of this new body that he possessed, and that required training even from an early age. Obviously, he had to hold back to a certain degree, and would not do anything past basic movements to increase his mobility. Speaking of which, Minkyu was actually very hopeful about this new body. It seemed that he had very good genetics. His dad was massive, baby or not, at least for Asian standards. He wasn't trying to be racist, but Minkyu had actually been extremely worried about his goal because of his new status as an Asian. This was because inherently, he would be less strong and less athletic than bikers of other ethnicities on the world stage, and that would be a huge detriment for his future career.
Thankfully, he could guess that his father was at least 6'6, with an toned and muscular body. The same applied to his mother, who was also above 6 ft, with an equally impressive stature. It was cool, because although they were committed to working for the family, they were also dedicated to keeping themselves in shape. His parents had a workout routine, and he could see how hard they worked to stay in shape.
Not just his parents, even Eunji had good body potential. For her age, she was big, ever bigger than the boys in her grade. But not in a chubby, fat way, but in a strong and tall way.
Minkyu was snapped out of his thoughts when Eunji burst into the store.
"AHHHHHHH! HELP ME!!!"
Minkyu jerked his heads toward his sister, stunned.
"W-What huappened?"
"A TRUCK!!!"
'Oh shit.' Minkyu thought, and his vision got cloudy.
'Has it come back? I can't even avoid it like this! What if it gets Eunji too! I can't let her die because of me!' As he worried, Eunji was gasping, out of breath, her hands relying on her knees.
"NOONA!!!" Minkyu exclaimed.
(In Korea, Men call older women Noona. Men call older men hyung. Women call older women unni. Women call older men oppa. However, this is only for people you are intimate with, so it can be from family, to just an acquaintance, to your girlfriend. Also, dad is APPA and mom is OMMA, but I wont use those. I will use adjusshi, which you use to describe much older men, its like Mr..)
"Noona, pleathe, esplain to me what huappened!"
"Huff, huff." Eunji was panting, grasping for air, when his mom suddenly marched in.
"Kim Eunji(last names are referred to first most of the time), you are in massive trouble!" His mom held a toy truck, which was covered in string and thread from his mother's clothing store. The thread wrapped all around the truck, except for a single strand that lead to his mom's shoulders. This thread looped around her shoulders, her biceps, her chest, her hups, her thighs, her knees, all the way to her feet. In fact, the tread covered her entire body so much, that Minkyu could barely see her clothes.
She hadn't marched in, she had waddled in. Minkyu wasn't sure if he should feel relief, fear, or disbelief. He was so glad that the truck hadn't come back for him or his family, but he was bit terrified of what his mom would do to Eunji. But above all, he was fucking hungry.