Chapter 83
[Well then, now we should start in earnest...]
[Actually, if we only consider their main profession, it's impossible to determine who is superior.]
[That's really difficult.]
The Prince members pretended to seriously ponder among themselves, then suddenly one member stood up and shouted.
[So!]
[Ooh! Jun-chan!]
[Do you have a way?]
Jun-chan, who looked around with an arrogant pose... no, Sakurai Jun, soon continued speaking.
[The genius of these two wasn't limited to music. According to the production team's investigation, it has been revealed that both of them possess genius in other fields as well.]
[What's with that strange tone...?]
[Hey Jun-chan. Stop it and come back to normal.]
[Was it strange?]
While I was quietly watching the situation flow like a skit on one side.
[The news that Sunwoo Rin is a language master fluent in no less than 10 languages!!!]
[A... Amazing!!]
[10 languages?]
[N, No way...!]
Suddenly the camera focused on me, and the MCs' exaggerated reactions continued endlessly.
[R, Rin-san...? Is that true? 10 languages?]
[I haven't counted exactly, but it should be around that much.]
[Wow...]
[Wait, this absolutely needs verification.]
[Right, verification is necessary.]
'No, why is it suddenly show-and-tell time?'
Since it's a variety show after all, I knew they wouldn't be competing seriously the whole time.
Still, I couldn't get used to this chaotic atmosphere.
'But then again, verification...?'
[Then, to verify, we've invited an expert!]
[Please come in, Professor!]
Along with the Prince members' words, a man entered the studio.
Well, I thought they might bring in a foreigner. The person who entered the studio was a Japanese man in his mid-40s with a typical scholar style.
[Hello. I am Daisuke Watanabe, a professor at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies and a linguist.]
Professor Watanabe greeted me while slightly lifting his glasses.
'I thought a comedian would come out, but is he a real professor?'
I was still a bit suspicious, but I shook hands with this person called Professor Watanabe who approached me and offered his hand.
[Oh! I've seen the professor on TV a lot.]
[Amazing...!]
[Hey, now even a professor is coming out for verification!]
[Yes, let me say once again that Prince TV's Genius x Genius conducts thorough verification of its cast.]
Seeing the Prince members' reaction, it seemed he was quite a famous professor in Japan.
I looked again at the face of the professor who came out to verify my language skills.
'Umm...'
The professor's gaze towards me was slightly subtle.
It looked like a gaze full of favor, yet strangely felt like something was caught.
'What exactly is this feeling?'
Would you believe me if I said I felt a slight obsession in the professor's innocent-looking eyes?
While I was getting a somewhat dangerous feeling from the professor's gaze looking at me like that.
[Professor, please test Jun-chan here first!]
[He's always going on about how he's good at Korean to Korean guests, but from our perspective, it doesn't seem like it.]
[No, what are you all talking about!]
Sakurai Jun, who was suddenly pushed by the members and ended up taking the test, tried to resist, but.
"Umm, how long has it been since you started learning Korean, Mr. Jun?"
When fluent Korean suddenly came out of Professor Watanabe's mouth, a highly tense Sakurai Jun answered while trembling.
"It'z... been about 15 yearz, I thinkz."
"15 years, by any chance is there a reason you started learning Korean?"
"That'z..."
As the two started talking in Korean for a moment, the Prince members asked me what they were talking about.
[The professor is asking Mr. Sakurai why he started learning Korean.]
Eventually, a bizarre situation occurred where two Japanese people were talking in Korean on a Japanese broadcast, and a Korean person was interpreting the content into Japanese.
"Aah, yes, let's stop here."
"Th, thank you very mush..."
[W, what? Is it over?]
[Yes, I've confirmed it.]
When the conversation between the two who were talking in Korean ended like that, the Prince members immediately asked Professor Watanabe with curious faces.
[Professor, what is the level of Jun-chan's Korean skill?]
[Well, in terms of communication, he is quite fluent.]
[Aah...]
[See! What did I tell you? Hahahaha!]
While the Prince members were looking at Sakurai Jun, who was going wild at the professor's positive evaluation, with dissatisfied expressions.
[However...]
[However?]
[For someone who has studied Korean for 15 years, isn't the pronunciation bad...]
[Pfft...!]
[Jun-chan! They say your pronunciation is bad? Hahahahaha!]
[I knew it, as expected, the professor is accurate!]
At the professor's fact bomb, Sakurai Jun looked at me with earnest eyes asking me to defend him somehow, but.
'S, sorry Jun-chan... but your pronunciation really is bad.'
[As expected, the compliments from the Korean guests all this time were just pleasantries.]
[The truth was revealed today.]
[For Jun-chan's Korean skill to be revealed after 10 years of Prince TV, today is a historic day.]
[Ugh...]
The Prince members, who were excitedly teasing Sakurai Jun, soon came to their senses and asked Professor Watanabe.
[Professor, then will you verify Rin-san's language skills now?]
[Can she really speak 10 languages?]
[We've confirmed Japanese. At least 2 languages are certain.]
At the Prince members' words, Professor Watanabe answered with a slight smile.
[I've already confirmed that Sunwoo Rin can speak 10 languages through other video materials.]
[Eh? Is that true?]
[Yes, Sunwoo Rin is definitely a speaker of 10 languages. I guarantee it.]
'What, it ends this easily?'
At Professor Watanabe's words that I was definitely a 10-language speaker without any separate test, all the cast members including me were bewildered.
[Umm... then is the verification over like this?]
[Has there ever been a case like this before?]
[I don't think there has been.]
When the Prince members were also wondering how to proceed in this unexpected situation.
[Wait a moment.]
[Yes?]
[Verification is not necessary, but there is something I want to confirm with Sunwoo Rin.]
[Confirm?]
Professor Watanabe said so, looked at me, and continued speaking.
[Sunwoo Rin, I think it would be fine if you just continue a natural conversation with me from now on. Would that be okay?]
[Yes, that's fine.]
At the abrupt situation, even the Prince members and Hiro looked at the two of us with curious eyes.
And starting with Japanese, Professor Watanabe instantly began speaking to me in various languages of different countries.
[Oh! As expected, you can speak Russian too. Then... how about Spanish?]
As I started answering according to Professor Watanabe's questions, the noisy studio instantly quieted down.
[W, what language is that...?]
[Can you understand it, Hiro?]
[No...]
I could see the Prince members and Hiro talking quietly with blank faces.
[Alright, let's stop here.]
[Oh, I can finally hear Japanese!]
[It's my first time in my 20-year broadcasting career to hear so many different languages in such an instant...]
[Wait! Then, Professor, what's the result?]
When a Prince member asked Professor Watanabe, the professor made a gesture asking them to wait.
'What exactly was he trying to do?'
I just answered the professor's words absentmindedly.
I couldn't figure out what the professor was trying to test.
The conversation content was also general. I couldn't find anything special.
[Well, to just quickly give you the conclusion... Sunwoo Rin is truly a genius.]
[Eh?]
[By any chance, did Sunwoo Rin separately study Portuguese or Italian?]
[No, I haven't studied those two languages separately.]
[But when I was asking in Spanish and switched to Portuguese, you immediately understood the language you had never learned and answered according to my question, right?]
[Did I do that?]
I don't remember well?
If the professor says so, it must be true.
While I was thinking of it so lightly.
[Although Spanish and Portuguese are similar to each other, being able to immediately listen to a foreign language that is not your mother tongue and communicate using only the similarity of the language is truly a remarkable thing.]
While I was making a hesitant expression, Professor Watanabe was pouring out a fervent speech and gradually approaching me.
[To reach this level through self-study at an age in your early 20s, Sunwoo Rin has a genius-level language talent. Entering our university right away and studying linguistics as my disciple...]
[Um, Professor...?]
[Professor Watanabe!]
When I was held by the hand by Professor Watanabe and couldn't do anything about it, the Prince members came over and started to stop Professor Watanabe.
[Would you come into our research lab right now and study linguistics with me? No, no, you have a main job so that might be difficult. Then I'd rather go to Korea...]
[Professor, calm down!]
[Pull him off for now!]
Like that, Professor Watanabe's commotion temporarily subsided with the Prince members' restraint.
[Aah, I don't think any further verification is necessary, right?]
[Probably the greatest talent among the geniuses who have appeared so far...]
[You're amazing, Sunwoo Rin!]
[Th, thank you...]
Professor Watanabe's eyes looking at me were still shining like the eyes of a beast that doesn't know how to give up.
While showing the will to make me his graduate student somehow.
The production team barely guided Professor Watanabe out of the studio.
'Phew... I almost became not a college student but a graduate student.'
As the situation ended like that, it was finally time for Hiro, who had been left out.
[Now, Hiro! It feels like a big storm passed by, so your presence faded for a bit.]
[Hey, you shouldn't say it like that. Hiro could be an incredible genius too.]
[Right, you can't judge a person just by their appearance.]
The Prince members' skill at teasing was no joke.
I could feel Hiro's face gradually hardening.
When Hiro, who was enduring the joint attack of five people alone, felt pitiful.
[Then Hiro, was there ever a case where you felt you were a genius in a field other than music?]
[I did Judo during my school days.]
[Aah! Judo!]
[You were a sportsman!]
[Now that you mention it, your body is solid.]
As the Prince members instantly changed their stance and started praising him, Hiro, who had shrunk back a little, regained his confidence and started talking.
[When I was a high school student, I also have experience participating in the Inter-High as the prefectural representative. I think if I hadn't done music, I would have become a Judo player.]
[Wow, isn't that great?]
[At that level, you could call him a genius!]
[I mean, he was the best in the prefecture.]
[That's not easy.]
Seeing Hiro, who had regained his confidence, glaring at me and speaking, the pity I had felt until just now was washed away in an instant.
[Then Hiro should also have a verification time.]
[Is there anyone among our members who is good at Judo?]
[Aah, my back is bad now.]
[It's a bit much for us to step up. We invited someone else to verify again.]
[Please come in!]
Along with the Prince members' words, another man appeared in the studio.
A word that soon burst out of Hiro's mouth as soon as he confirmed the man's identity.
[W, wait a minute...]
And that one word full of bewilderment was about to be buried as an explosive shout burst from the mouth of the man who had just appeared.
[Uwaaaaaah!]
[Here, appearing for verification, is the former national team Judo gold medalist and currently active as a martial arts fighter, Mr. Yamamoto!]
At the identity of the man who appeared with a roar, I thought to myself.
'No, this is too much...'
A massive body that looked like a heavyweight at a glance. He was covered with a judo uniform, but the muscles writhing underneath the uniform were not completely hidden.
No matter how much of a variety show it is, bringing an adult to a children's playground is too much of a foul, isn't it.
'He walked right into it.'
I could see the face of Hiro, who had regained his confidence until just a moment ago and looked triumphant, instantly turn pale.
[N, no. A pro athlete is a bit.]
[Hiro, by any chance do you lack confidence?]
[It's a pity if you give up, but without proving Hiro's genius, today's verification ends here...]
[W, wait a moment!]
I could see Hiro looking flustered.
I would bet that if Hiro went up against that pro athlete, his feet would leave the floor within 10 seconds, and he would immediately roll around on the stage.
Perhaps that sight was flickering before Hiro's eyes too, as he couldn't easily spit out the words to challenge him.
[Aah! Mr. Yamamoto is snorting as if it's ridiculous!]
[He says he will acknowledge you if you just hold out for 10 seconds!]
[Hiro, are you giving up here by any chance?]
I felt it all day today, but their teasing skill is really no joke.
As if it wasn't for nothing that they've been hosting this program for over 10 years, the Prince members gently scratched Hiro's pride and urged him to challenge.
And at that sight, Hiro finally stood up as if he had made up his mind.
[10 seconds... I understand. I will try to hold out for 10 seconds.]
[Ooh!]
[As expected, you're great!]
[I believed in you!]
Finally, unable to resist the urging, Hiro headed to the prepared stage.
Hiro, who stepped in front of the pro athlete named Mr. Yamamoto, already looked like he had lost his resolve, but.
Anyway, it seemed that the claim of being a Judo player during his school days wasn't a lie, as he soon corrected his posture.
However.
[Ugh!]
'10 seconds my foot...'
It took about 2 seconds for Hiro's feet to leave the ground.
And it took about 5 seconds for Hiro's back to touch the floor.
While I was shaking my head at that gruesome sight of a man's pride being torn to shreds.
[Ah... Mr. Yamamoto doesn't hold back at all.]
[He's really merciless.]
Along with the Prince members' gloomy words, Hiro returned to his seat with his head hung low.
As the broadcast was slowly coming to an end in that subdued atmosphere.
[Eh? What is that gesture Mr. Yamamoto is making?]
[He's gesturing towards Rin-san!]
'No, wait a minute! This isn't right!'
Suddenly, the martial arts fighter's gesture calling me out, like pouring ash on the broadcast I thought was over, was visible.
[By any chance, will you challenge Mr. Yamamoto to avenge Hiro?]
[He says you just need to hold out for 10 seconds. What do you think?]
[Aah, a man's boiling fighting spirit. Even though we just met today, I can't just stand by and watch my rival Hiro get treated like this!]
[Will another famous scene be born today?]
The concentrated fire of the Prince members that Hiro had faced earlier started heading towards me.
'Did they plan this from the beginning?'
Feeling all sorts of suspicions now, I had no choice but to stand up from my seat.
[Ooh!]
[Rin-san, don't tell me...!]
[Are you going to challenge him?]
The Prince members, who were fanning the flames without fail.
I looked at the Prince members and Hiro and said.
[Instead of challenging. If I hold out for 10 seconds, is there a reward?]
[Umm... a reward...]
[Well, it wasn't originally Rin-san who had to challenge.]
'First, I should take everything I can get.'
They're telling me to cross over to Japan and fight a martial arts fighter, shouldn't I get some compensation.
I could see the Prince members starting to ponder at my words.
[Then! If Rin-san holds out for 10 seconds, we'll give you a free pass that allows you to call us, Prince, anytime once.]
[Aah! That's good!]
[Doesn't seem bad.]
'A free pass.'
Actually, even if they look like unremarkable middle-aged men, Prince is a huge star called the national idol in Japan, isn't it.
A free pass to call such Prince anytime.
'This is a bit tempting?'
When my motivation was gradually swelling at the unexpected reward.
[Me too!]
[Huh?]
[If Sunwoo Rin holds out for 10 seconds, I'll prepare a personal gift too.]
Hiro, who had been quietly watching this situation until now, also suddenly jumped in offering a reward.
[Oh, even Hiro's gift?]
[This makes it a real profit!]
[Rin-san, then are you challenging?]
[Yes, I will challenge.]
A challenge with an unexpected reward.
It was a bit sudden, but well, even if I fail, it's fighting a pro athlete, so it's not something to be hugely embarrassed about.
Most importantly.
'10 seconds is doable.'
I went up to the makeshift ring where the martial arts fighter called Mr. Yamamoto was standing.
And.
[How should I go easy on you?]
Mr. Yamamoto, smiling at me and speaking.
At that smile, I also smiled back and answered.
[Please go all out.]
Since being discharged from the military, it seemed like I'd have to use a little strength for the first time in a while.