6 – An awkward/uncomfortable relationship.

Je-rim, who had ended up following Aaron home in his car, lingered in the passenger seat for a long time. He had agreed to talk after the match because he was in a hurry, but he hadn’t expected to be dragged away so immediately… As he sat there without even unbuckling his seatbelt, Aaron, who had gotten out first, knocked on the window.

“Aren’t you coming out?”

Since Aaron personally opened the passenger door for him, Je-rim had no choice but to get out. His body, exhausted from running for nearly 100 minutes, screamed that it wanted to lie in bed immediately, but he couldn’t exactly sleep in Aaron’s car. Stretching out lazily, Je-rim grumbled.

“I’m exhausted. Do you think everyone in the world has stamina like yours?”

“Then I’ll lend you my bed, so you can listen while lying down.”

“I absolutely decline.”

What kind of accident would they cause if they stayed in a closed space alone for too long? You can only dismiss something as a “mistake” once. Deciding it would be better to end the conversation quickly, get back the car he had lent him previously, and go home, Je-rim quietly entered Aaron’s house.

The interior of the house was clean, just like the well-organized garage. Impressed by the vast living room and the high ceilings, Je-rim offered a compliment.

“Nice house.”

“Considering I found it and signed the contract in a rush.”

Aaron nodded with an indifferent face, as if there were still parts of the house he wasn’t satisfied with. Recalling Aaron’s magnificent family estate in Tavarona, Je-rim turned his compliment into a jab.

“Right, Young Master. What do you have to say? Let’s get this over with.”

As he sat on the sofa and leaned back against the plush cushion, his eyes began to flutter shut. Watching this, Aaron left, saying he would brew some coffee. Not long after, he returned with steaming hand-drip coffee and a manila envelope.

Handing the cup to Je-rim, Aaron opened the envelope and poured the contents onto the table. Je-rim let out a gasp upon discovering an old photograph. In the photo, a boy and a girl who looked like angels were smiling lovably.

He definitely didn’t know these children, but they felt familiar. Especially the features of the small, cute boy. He thought they looked like the photos of Aaron’s childhood that were hung throughout the Tavarona Youth Training Center… No, they didn’t just look alike; it seemed to be the same person.

Quickly snatching the photo, Je-rim looked back and forth between the angel-like boy in the picture and the man before him, horrified. He hadn’t even tasted the coffee, but he was wide awake.

“This is you, right? …Why on earth did you grow up to be so grotesquely large…?”

“And here you were, calling me a cute chick.”

“My vision and mental state were slightly compromised at the time.”

I was completely insane. After replying haphazardly, he stared intently at the photo again.

Maybe around five years old. His hair color was slightly lighter back then than it is now. The boy in the photo really did look like a cute chick. The girl next to him, smiling so brightly that he could almost hear her giggling, was the same. Je-rim pointed to the blonde girl and asked.

“Who’s the girl next to you? She looks familiar… She’s pretty.”

As he tilted his head, wondering where he had seen her, Aaron answered in a sullen voice.

“…If you can look at a childhood photo and still say she’s pretty, she really must be your ideal type. It’s Gabi.”

“Huh?”

“Gabriela Delgado. Your former ideal type.”

“Ah, come to think of it…”

Before dating Aaron, he had watched a Spanish movie starring Delgado and had gone around claiming she was his ideal type for a while. A girl with a lovely aura, long blonde hair, and gentle eyes. At the time, a teen movie starring Delgado had become a hit in Spain, and it was rare to find a boy who didn’t list her as his ideal type.

He clearly had such a normal and universal ideal type back then, so how did he end up… Glancing at the face of his current ideal type, Je-rim dropped his head like a sick chicken. Instead of the guy he couldn’t remove from his sight, he covered the boy’s face in the photo with his thumb. Then, only the girl, identified as Delgado, remained prominent in the photo.

Since Aaron said he had never done anything shameful, they probably weren’t dating. If they had photos together from such a young age, were they childhood friends? Did their parents know each other? Such deductions were crossing his mind.

“She’s my sister.”

The words were like a bolt from the blue. He was so dumbfounded that he accidentally crumpled the photo and looked up at Aaron as if glaring.

What the hell is this guy… Is this the best excuse he could come up with to prove he didn’t cheat? Different surnames, different looks, different places of origin, and they’re the same age, but they’re siblings? They definitely couldn’t be twins. Perhaps reading the confused gaze mixed with slight anger, Aaron quickly added.

“Just keep listening, please. We have different mothers. That’s why we’re the same age… As for the looks, both she and I take after our mothers’ side.”

What is he talking about.

Je-rim knew that all of Aaron’s other siblings had different mothers than him. Aaron was the fourth of six siblings; among them, the three older siblings and the two younger sisters shared the same mothers respectively. Only Aaron was alone among the six. Still, at least the paternal surname, Reyes, was the same for all six. Among the two younger sisters, there was no one named Gabriela, and if he remembered correctly, there was a significant age gap between them and Aaron.

Je-rim narrowed his eyes as he carefully organized Aaron’s family structure, which he had heard about long ago, into a family tree. No matter how he tried to fit it in, there was no room for Delgado to be one of those six siblings. Unless she was treated as a separate entity. For example… a hidden child not included in the family register.

‘Nah, even so, that’s too much like a soap opera.’

In Tavarona, the image of Aaron’s father, David Reyes, was very positive. He was known as a devout Catholic who donated regularly, ran a large orphanage, and was a philanthropist who paid significant attention to children from disadvantaged broken homes… Surely not. But since what Aaron was claiming seemed to be exactly that “surely not,” Je-rim asked cautiously.

“…So, does that mean Delgado is an illegitimate child or something?”

“You hit the nail on the head.”

“Are you planning to change careers to a writer after you retire?”

“I’m not. Yeah, I knew you wouldn’t believe me, so I prepared this.”

Aaron gestured with his chin toward the table, telling him to look at the other materials. Je-rim began to examine them one by one. From the DNA test results between David Reyes and Gabriela Delgado to a photo of David holding her as a newborn, and photos of her with physical contact with the person presumed to be her biological mother.

Even in the corner of the newborn photo, the date November 25th was stamped. It was about a month after Aaron’s birthday. Watching Je-rim’s pupils dilate as he flipped through the pages, Aaron sipped his coffee.

“As you can see, we are siblings. If the existence of an illegitimate child became known, it would be troublesome for both Gabi and my father in many ways, so we can’t reveal it publicly. For your information, these materials were prepared in strict secrecy, so don’t mention this anywhere.”

“I-is it okay to show this to me…?”

“It’s not. But if I hadn’t shown you, you would have kept not believing me.”

“Well… that’s true.”

If he had kept his mouth shut for ten years and then suddenly just blurted out, “She’s actually my half-sister, not my lover,” who would believe that? No, honestly, he couldn’t guarantee he would have believed it even ten years ago if Aaron had explained it only with words. It was such an uncommon topic.

As Je-rim nodded with a blank face, Aaron continued.

A reporter who had picked up the scoop that Gabriela was illegitimate began blackmailing her for money just before her entry into Hollywood. In the midst of that, instead of comforting his struggling daughter, the father had raged, threatening to cut off the support needed for her Hollywood entry and the living expenses he provided to her biological mother if any harm came to him.

Continuing the explanation in a weary tone, Aaron finally brought up the main topic.

“Anyway, in the middle of all that, a dating rumor accidentally broke out between me and her. A photo of me comforting her was taken from a strange angle…”

“…That photo that looked like you were about to kiss?”

“I was wiping away her tears! Why on earth would I kiss my sister?”

“Oh… I don’t think I could comfort my sister like that even if she were crying.”

Je-rim rubbed the goosebumps on his arm as he imagined himself doing that to his own sister. If she were crying, he’d be curious why, but at most, he’d just send her some pocket money to cheer her up; he didn’t think he could personally wipe away her tears. At this, Aaron sneered as if he were hearing the most ridiculous thing.

“You’re the type of guy who wouldn’t comfort anyone like that, no matter who was crying.”

“No, fuck, I’m not that… heartless of a human.”

He had started to reply that he wasn’t that heartless, but realizing he had never done such a thing even for the people he had dated, he changed his wording. He could hug and comfort them, but wiping away tears—just imagining it made him blush.

…Was it because I’m such a cold person that I always got dumped? By Aaron too? A new realization hit Je-rim’s head. Aaron, who had no way of knowing Je-rim’s inner thoughts, laughed loudly before returning to the original topic.

“As you know, I’m not close with my family. Gabi was the only one I’ve been close with like actual family since we were young. We had a lot in common. Unlike the other siblings, we were the same age, so we were like friends.”

“…But that, the fact that you’re the same age, um, so…”

“Yes, it was an affair. But well, that’s a problem between the parents, right? They divorced a long time ago, so it’s not something Gabi or I need to worry about.”

Unable to find an appropriate reaction, Je-rim fell silent. Even though he had lived in Europe for a long time, the shock coming from this kind of cultural difference remained. To calm his mind, he finally took a sip of the coffee Aaron had given him. It was a properly brewed hand-drip coffee with a nutty flavor and a moderate acidity.

It’s delicious, but if I drink it all, I might not be able to sleep when I get home, so let’s just drink half. With that resolve, Je-rim slowly sipped the coffee and quietly listened to Aaron’s words.

“That scandal was actually a boon for Gabi. Because no one would think she was dating her brother. And at that time, I…”

He suddenly hesitated, and a voice that sounded much less confident leaked out faintly. As if admitting this was his fault.

“…I didn’t even know that she and I were in a scandal for several days.”

“Did you live without looking at your phone? Is that even possible?”

“It was exactly one month after we had a huge fight and you transferred to England. At that time, I didn’t have the confidence to be okay while looking at a phone full of traces of you…”

Watching Aaron trail off, Je-rim discreetly chewed on the inside of his cheek.

He was the one who asked for time to think, but it seems it was hard for him too. Thank god, I wasn’t the only one living out of my mind. He swallowed the ugly sense of relief that surged momentarily, ensuring it would never be spoken aloud.

Aaron slowly spoke again.

“…I fell ill with a cold and stayed in bed, and when I went back to training after a few days, things were noisy. That’s how I found out.”

“…You were even sick?”

“Yeah. Why, do you care now?”

There was a hint of resentment in his tone. Did he think he was the only one who had suffered? Recalling the things he had gone through after the breakup with Aaron, Je-rim’s expression hardened to a cold stiffness. Seeing this, Aaron chuckled as if to emphasize it was a light joke and changed the subject.

“Anyway, after that, the whole family stepped in and told me to stay quiet instead of explaining. So we couldn’t put out a correction article…”

“What about Delgado?”

“Gabi asked me as well.”

“To keep your mouth shut?”

Seeing Aaron nod, an old question tried to burst out without passing through his brain.

“Hey, even so…”

Shouldn’t you have contacted me? Even if you found out late, at least a message…

After waiting for contact for several days, and even after he had smashed his phone just before boarding the plane in anger upon seeing that decisive photo, Je-rim had been unable to give up hope.

He had left his broken phone with Coach Kang Ju-han, who acted as his personal agent and guardian at the time, and left for the pre-season tour. When he received the phone a week later, now a piece of junk that barely turned on, the first thing he did was scan the messages and call logs. To check if there had been any contact from Aaron.

How much had he despaired, hesitated, and regretted while looking at that clean notification window? Did asking for time to think just mean he wanted to break up? Could there be another reason why he couldn’t contact me? I spent a week without a phone, so maybe Aaron had a similar situation.

…But including the time he spent waiting before that, does it make sense that he couldn’t contact him once for nearly two weeks? Should I just contact him first? What the hell is this scandal? Why is there no explanation? Do I… no longer have the right to ask? Is he still very angry? Is that why there’s no contact?

I really shouldn’t have said those things at the end.

‘I’ve understood well how you’ve thought of me all this time, Je-rim. …Thank you for letting me come to my senses, even if it’s at the end.’

The image of Aaron, with a wounded face and tears dripping, asking for time to think, kept flickering in his mind, often making him put the phone down. Then suddenly, anger would surge as if his stomach were turning, and he would kick balls repeatedly and run until he was drenched in sweat, only to pick up the phone and put it down again… Anyway, he wasn’t in his right mind back then.

It had reached the point where even the cheerful Ju-han couldn’t stand to watch and exploded in a lecture, calling him pathetic. Je-rim only managed to pull himself together after a harsh scolding, telling him that if he continued to live with his head in the clouds, he wouldn’t survive as a professional in the EPL, and that he should think of his mother.

In the end, he thought… at the time, at least, that he had shaken off his lingering feelings by throwing away the phone cluttered with Aaron’s traces and changing his number. Back then, when he was being chewed out by Ju-han.

‘Right, anyway, it’s all in the past. Why bring it up now?’

Je-rim hurriedly swallowed the words that had almost escaped. He had heard the explanation that Aaron hadn’t cheated, the misunderstanding was cleared, the fight from the previous day had been resolved amicably, and they had won the match. What more was there to nitpick?

Back then, Aaron probably hadn’t contacted him because he thought they had already broken up, or perhaps he had resigned himself to the fact that it was too late to turn back, or for some other reason. Or maybe he was still angry about the harsh words Je-rim had spat at him. That was the most convincing assumption. It would also explain why he acted the way he did during the World Cup.

Along with the old questions, Je-rim tried his best to suppress the old emotions that were bubbling up. Recalling the past, feelings of helplessness, resentment, disappointment, regret, and apology threatened to rush back like a wave.

‘…If the conversation drags on, we’ll just fight again.’

Let’s not think about it. Consciously erasing useless thoughts and assumptions that could affect his condition was one of the things Je-rim did best. Once again, he snipped off the trailing thoughts like pruning small branches. He didn’t want to ruin the atmosphere of reconciliation he had worked so hard to create.

Now that everything was going well, if he started picking apart the details—asking why he did that back then, saying Aaron was the bad one, or arguing over who was more at fault—they might end up hurting each other’s feelings again. Honestly, they were now just teammates, nothing more and nothing less; he should probably be thanking Aaron just for explaining something from ten years ago. Je-rim slowly closed and opened his eyes.

“…No. Right, I understand. I believe you.”

“Including the part where I never cheated and I’m not some piece of trash who sucks his ex’s dick and then goes straight to see his fiancée?”

“Yeah.”

“…You believe me fast.”

Je-rim, who didn’t quite catch the mutter that flowed out quickly, almost like a whisper, tilted his head.

“What?”

“Nothing, forget it. I really should have prepared evidence… but I didn’t have any back then. I’m just glad you’re listening to me now.”

Yes, it was a relief that everything was resolved amicably now. For perhaps the first time, Je-rim didn’t take Aaron’s words cynically and sincerely agreed.

His body, which had been tense from listening intently, went limp. Pushing Aaron aside with his foot to make space, Je-rim practically lay down and muttered while fiddling with his coffee cup.

“Mmm… I feel kind of deflated, though.”

“About what?”

“I wasted so much emotional energy for nothing.”

Adding “uselessly,” Je-rim stared up at the high ceiling.

“If only this misunderstanding had been cleared up sooner, we might not have fought yesterday… I’ve learned a big lesson from this.”

“…I wonder what our noble captain has learned this time.”

“That fighting with a teammate the day before a match is fucking disastrous.”

The reason they had been bickering constantly since Aaron’s transfer was solely because he had misunderstood him as a bastard who cheated and ghosted him. If it had just been an old friend from their youth days transferring to the same club after ten years, he wouldn’t have snarled so much. He wouldn’t have fought the day before a match, ruined the first half, and been openly torn apart by the coach in front of all his other teammates.

Je-rim never wanted to experience such a humiliating and pathetic situation again. A captain who puts the team at risk because he can’t manage his personal emotions—such a thing had no right to exist. It was lucky the result was good; if they had lost… Je-rim’s brow furrowed instinctively at the thought.

“I’ve realized poignantly that when things are emotionally creaky, the chemistry doesn’t click. So.”

Suddenly standing up, he held out his right hand to Aaron.

“Let’s get along from now on, Aaron. As teammates sharing the goal of the Big Ear.”

“That’s it?”

Aaron looked down at the right hand, his eyes narrowing as if dissatisfied. To this, Je-rim countered.

“As long as the teammates get along, what more do you need? Too much time has passed for you and me to try anything again just because a misunderstanding was cleared.”

“……”

“I don’t like you in that way anymore. No, I don’t think I can. I think that was a relationship only possible because we were both young back then…”

Honestly, their personalities and ways of thinking didn’t match at all.

He intentionally left that part out. There was no need to throw cold water on an atmosphere that was slowly warming up. Besides, now that the ten-year-old misunderstanding was resolved, Aaron wouldn’t be naive enough to suggest they date again, nor would such feelings likely remain.

Even knowing that, blocking the possibility beforehand was akin to a declaration. A declaration to remain good teammates without crossing any lines in the future.

Once he retired, Je-rim wanted to return to Korea, marry someone from the same culture, have children, and lead an ordinary life. He wanted to return to a place where people spoke the same language and shared similar ways of thinking, without ever feeling the loneliness of being isolated in the universe alone. He wanted to enjoy a peaceful daily life where he no longer had to feel pressure or fear.

There was no longer any room for Aaron in the life Je-rim envisioned. Not for the sole reason that he found him hot when he looked at him.

…If the problem was that the reason was quite significant, and he occasionally couldn’t control his body’s instinctive reactions, then that was a problem. But that could be solved by simply not creating situations where they would cross the line.

“Don’t refuse the handshake. I’m actually reaching out first, so it’ll be fucking disappointing if I’m ignored.”

Je-rim urged Aaron again, waving his extended hand. He gently dissolved the old emotions that had bubbled up like carbonation in sparkling water.

“…Fine, we have a long way to go. Let’s get along.”

Only then did Aaron grasp his right hand. Since Je-rim had no intention of engaging in a power struggle, twisting each other’s hands like wringing a rag as they had when Aaron first transferred, he kept his grip relaxed.

However, just as he tried to pull his hand away after shaking it a few times, Aaron suddenly tightened his grip. Je-rim yelled out at the sharp pain radiating from his fingertips.

“Is this how someone who wants to ‘get along’ shakes hands?”

“Isn’t it because your body is currently worse than a jellyfish that it feels painful? You need to build up some stamina.”

“Hey, you’re just a monster. I’m the type who can handle a full game including extra time!”

“Full extra time? Looking at your current state, it seems like you’d faint the moment it ends.”

Je-rim aimed a cushion at Aaron’s face and threw it. His movements were as if he had completely forgotten that they were on the path from a ceasefire to a peace treaty. Aaron let the first two hit him, but from the third one, he raised his arm to block it. He stood up, tossing the cushion he had caught.

“If you’re not staying over, get up. I’ll take you home.”

“Take me where? Give me back the car keys you borrowed last time. I’ll just drive.”

It was only far if walking; it was only a ten-minute drive. He held out his hand, asking for the keys to his most expensive car, but Aaron ignored him and zipped up his hoodie to the chin.

“Didn’t you say you were dying of sleep?”

“I’m awake now.”

“Stop being stubbornly stubborn and just accept a favor. I’m not going inside your house anyway.”

Leaving a hesitant Je-rim behind, Aaron found Je-rim’s car keys from somewhere and spun the keychain around his finger.

“You said let’s not cross the line from now on, right? I fully understand what you mean, so don’t worry. Let’s just consider what happened last time as being bitten by a mad dog.”

It was a bit embarrassing because it was true that Je-rim had responded enthusiastically to the “bite.” Not only had he stayed still while the dog lunged to bite, but he had even moved his hips because he liked it… No, in the first place, it wasn’t a mindless bite; it was more like he had come over and wafted the scent of meat, practically asking to be bitten…

With his earlobes burning, Je-rim clumsily tidied the sofa cushions he had messed up. It was his own way of showing apology.

“…Then how are you going to get back after dropping me off? Borrow my car again?”

“Je-rim, there’s such a thing as taxis in the world.”

‘Do you actually have dementia?’ At the following question, Je-rim kicked Aaron’s butt. The apology had vanished without a trace.

✲✲✲

Ahead of the first league match against Molden FC, the so-called Compfshire Derby Match, the Sefton players were more fired up than ever. Since Molden and Sefton were located in the same Compfshire state, separated only by a river, the two clubs representing each region had been long-standing rivals.

Not only were the fans enemies who were eager to tear each other apart, but the clubs themselves were on such bad terms that they wouldn’t even trade players. On Derby Match days, police were deployed from the stadium to every street corner, which said it all. The fact that both were Big Clubs with similar strength only added fuel to the competition.

Above all, because Molden FC had won the final match of last season to overtake Sefton, who had been in first place, and claimed the championship, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Sefton’s players, coach, coaching staff, board, and fans were all grinding their teeth.

“If we lose this time, let’s walk all the way to Sefton…”

To the point where someone would seriously suggest such an absurd thing. Je-rim immediately rejected the proposal.

“Do it by yourself if you want, Marshall. My legs are precious.”

“I’ll just take the bus too…”

Reman, who was cycling alongside them, agreed with Je-rim in a timid voice. At this, Marshall slammed the handle of his cycle and spoke passionately.

“Don’t we need this level of determination to win? Sometimes these extreme methods are effective…”

“It’s a forty-minute drive from Molden Stadium to here. If we walk that distance after a match, will our bodies even survive? Especially after losing? Ugh, no thanks. Just imagining it makes the atmosphere feel amazing.”

Walking for hours in a gloomy atmosphere where it wouldn’t be strange for everyone to jump into the river while crossing the bridge? When Je-rim mocked him, Reman let out a small laugh. Only Marshall raised his voice as if he were the victim.

“Jerry, you walk that much when you’re drunk!”

“Then should I play the match while drunk? Stop talking nonsense.”

Since it was a claim not even worth considering, Je-rim remained cold. He had simply forgotten that Marshall, despite his appearance like a rugged gangster, possessed a quite fragile and emotional interior. Sure enough, Marshall, quickly losing his spirit, muttered in a sorrowful voice.

“I just said it to show how desperate I am for this match…”

“I know. There’s no one here who isn’t desperate.”

Only after seeing Marshall’s dreadlocks droop like blanched spinach did Je-rim realize his mistake and quickly add on. A bit of flattery to revive Marshall’s spirit was a bonus.

“Just think that losing isn’t even an option. Then there’s no need to walk. And honestly, you’re several times better than their fullback, Marshall.”

“Jerry…!”

“Yeah…!”

An emotional Marshall and Reman, who for some reason felt equally overwhelmed, answered simultaneously. After confirming that Marshall’s dreadlocks had started shaking excitedly again, Je-rim turned his head toward Reman. Now that one guy was revived, it was time to look after the other.

“Reman, how’s your condition? You’ve been doing great lately.”

“Good. The coach gave me a hint to get ready to start a few matches soon.”

“That’s great. Then do you want to do some individual training with me this afternoon for the first time in a while? Are you free after lunch?”

Since the schedule was about to get tight, Coach Verdi’s plan was to start Reman in relatively less important matches to manage Aaron’s injuries and stamina. In the long run, he seemed to be considering a tactic that used both Aaron and Reman. Reman was too talented to be left rotting on the bench.

Honestly, sending Reman to another club that needed him would have been the best option for both parties, but since he had refused a transfer or loan… While most players who lose their starting spot express unhappiness and look for a transfer, Reman was a special case. There was also the problem that since he transferred last year, he still had a lot of time left on his contract, making an immediate transfer difficult.

‘I’m glad he stayed, though.’

Thanks to Reman staying with the team, the depth in attack became solid, and since he was a younger teammate he found quite cute, there was nothing bad about it, either for the team or personally. Usually, no matter how close they were, people tend to grow apart after a transfer.

The problem was that he hadn’t played many matches recently with this cute younger teammate. Given Coach Verdi’s personality, if he had given a hint about starting, it meant “very soon,” so Je-rim suggested they coordinate their chemistry personally beforehand. At that, Reman’s naturally gentle eyes curved almost like crescent moons.

“Yeah! I have plenty of time today—”

“I want to join that training too.”

It was then. Reman was startled by the voice coming from behind. Je-rim also turned around toward the wall where the cycles were lined up. At the only entrance to the gym, Aaron stood in a slouching posture, his shorts half-rolled up.

“What. Is the massage already over?”

“I just got a quick one. I’m getting another one from my personal trainer in the afternoon anyway.”

He replied while pulling down the hem of his pants that he had rolled up for the massage. Je-rim’s eyes sparkled as he quickly caught the words “personal trainer.”

“Is your personal trainer still that person? The one who’s amazing at massages…”

“Yeah. Do you want to get a massage from Juan later too?”

“Is that okay?”

Je-rim cheered inwardly. Although they had bickered and fought again on the very day they cleared up the misunderstanding—and he had been fined for arguing twice more since then—perhaps because the old ill will had vanished, he had definitely become more comfortable with Aaron. Comfortable enough to make such a request without hesitation.

Aaron seemed to feel the same, as he nodded readily without much hesitation.

“Why not. Reman, how about you get one too? I can just ask Juan to come to the training center.”

“Reman, you absolutely have to. I got one once when I was young, and he truly had the hands of God.”

As Je-rim encouraged him, Reman answered reluctantly.

“…If you’re okay with it, Reyes.”

“I’m okay with it, that’s why I’m suggesting it. More importantly, I told you not to call me by my last name.”

“I’m still more comfortable with the last name. I’d prefer if you didn’t force me.”

Je-rim looked surprised for a moment at the uncharacteristically prickly response. This wasn’t like him… But after reflecting on the relationship between Aaron and Reman, he quickly hid his expression.

No matter how gentle Reman was, he was an athlete who lived and died by competition; there was no way he lacked a natural competitive spirit. It would be harder to be nice to a competitor in the same position who had pushed him out of the starting lineup. Whether intentional or not, Aaron had embarrassed Reman a few times…

‘It would be weirder if they got along.’

While a tense staring contest took place, Je-rim tactfully lowered his body. The only saving grace was that, for once, Aaron was the one to leave first. To be precise, it would be more accurate to say he had no choice but to leave because the coach called him. Regardless, he simply shrugged at the young teammate’s cheeky answer and disappeared.

Judging by his shitty personality, it was obvious he had been quite patient. He was the type of guy who always returned every tackle or foul he received, adding mockery as a bonus. Furthermore, seeing him offer a small kindness like a massage or give various pieces of advice during training sessions, it seemed that at least on Aaron’s end, there was no ill will toward Reman, which made Je-rim feel strange.

Mediating relationships between teammates was also the captain’s duty… even if the person who fought the most with teammates in the team was the captain himself… After confirming that Aaron had completely left, Je-rim whispered secretly to Reman.

“Reman, if possible, just call him by his name. He hates being called by his last name.”

[…Then I should definitely call him by his last name.]

Then, Reman suddenly muttered in German. Je-rim stared at Reman with bewildered eyes.

“What did you say? I don’t know German.”

“It was nothing. More importantly, Jerry, it seems you’ve become close with Reyes lately. Normally, you would have told me to call him by his last name because Reyes hates it…”

As soon as Aaron disappeared, Reman returned to the gentle youngest member Je-rim knew, tilting his head. Je-rim’s mouth fell open at the description of his own childish misdeeds coming from someone else’s mouth.

“What on earth do you take me for? Was I really that childish?”

“…N-no, it’s not like that…. It’s just, you two seem to have gotten much closer lately…. I mean, I knew you were close regardless of all the bickering, but now it’s more like….”

The way he avoided eye contact and mumbled when asked if he was being childish was somewhat suspicious, but I didn’t press further. He was so flustered that he was rambling, his neck flushed a deep red.

Wondering exactly what kind of person he took me for, Je-rim answered, channeling his rising suspicion into the act of pedaling his exercise bike as diligently as a hamster on a wheel.

“Really? I’m glad it shows. I’ve been reflecting a lot since that fight I had with him on the field last time.”

“Ah, I was definitely surprised back then. Jerry isn’t usually the type to point out other people’s mistakes.”

“Huh? No, I totally am. I even gave Robin a piece of my mind, telling him I wouldn’t let it slide if he picked up one more useless card.”

“Eh? But I’ve never had you point anything out to me….”

“That’s because you’re the youngest, the Baby, so I held back. Just wait until you grow up a bit more; you won’t be spared.”

“How many times do I have to tell you I’m not a baby…!”

As Reman started to get worked up, Je-rim suddenly raised one arm and pretended to rub his eyes. A nasal voice, as if he had been sobbing, leaked from his lips.

“‘M-Mr. Van, would you mind exchanging jerseys with me? It would be more than I could ask for if you could just remember my name….’”

“S-stop it!”

When Je-rim mimicked the time they first met four years ago—when Reman had just left the youth system and was playing in the Bundesliga—Reman’s face finally turned bright red. Je-rim was fully absorbed in teasing him.

“I’ve seen you since the days you were dripping tears and snot while practically shoving your jersey into my face; how could I not see you as a baby, right?”

“If I could go back to that time, I would never ask you to exchange jerseys….”

“Why? Thanks to that, I remembered ‘Reman Fritz’ clearly, and now we get to play together.”

At the time, the team Reman and Yeo-bin belonged to had their hopes of advancing to the knockout stage crushed after losing to Sefton in the final match of the Champions League group stage. Reman, who had experienced his first-ever Champions League match after coming on as a substitute for Yeo-bin in the second half, had been sobbing uncontrollably from the pain of defeat. In the midst of that, the audacity of grabbing him and shoving a jersey in his face was so refreshing that it became the reason Je-rim remembered his name.

He hadn’t known then. That he would end up playing on the same team as that sorrowfully weeping boy. Recalling it after so long brought back a unique wave of emotion. Je-rim continued, staring calmly at Reman’s face, which had grown much more mature than in his memories.

“Anyway, back then, it wasn’t that Aaron did anything wrong; I was just taking my anger out on him. That’s why we fought, and why I reflected on it….”

Je-rim’s black eyes glinted with deep sincerity. He owed a debt to those bastards from Molden. A debt for stealing the league title last season. Though others called him a piece of work for his stubborn personality—insisting on paying back everything he suffered at Aaron’s hands—Je-rim himself wasn’t in a position to judge.

When I think about all the humiliating nicknames I got because of that fucking second-place finish…. Je-rim gnashed his teeth.

“I’m going to make sure that never happens again. We have to win the Molden match. Both away and home.”

Statistically, they had never won an away game against Molden, but the grander the dream, the better. He hoped they could secure a landslide victory on their home turf this time and knock those bastards down a peg. It would be thrilling to perform a Ceremony with the boos of the Molden fans serving as his curtain call.

While harboring this dream-like wish, Reman suddenly whispered weakly. It was almost like he was talking to himself.

“…I wish I could start in the Molden match with you, too.”

“…….”

Je-rim hesitated, his lips parting, not knowing how to react or what kind of comfort to offer. There was no way Aaron wouldn’t be in the Starting Lineup for a match as important as a Derby Match, so whatever he said would only give Reman false hope. Noticing Je-rim’s fluster, Reman quickly wiped the discouraged look from his face.

“I’ll work harder.”

“You’re already doing enough. Don’t overdo it; just push forward at your own pace. By the time Aaron retires, the world will be yours anyway.”

What a good kid. A white hand haphazardly ruffled the fluffy golden hair.

“If only you could fix this soft mental of yours.”

“…I meant I’m working on things including that part.”

“Sure, sure, work hard. Anyway, you’re cu—”

“Who?”

It was right after he had finished patting Reman’s head. At that moment, a face popped up from behind his shoulder, leaving a languid question in his ear. The voice was so sticky it felt as if an octopus sucker had slapped onto his ear canal. Je-rim shuddered, shaking his ear.

“Geez, you scared me!”

“Who’s cute? Is there anyone here who’s cute?”

“Make some noise when you move. You’re as big as a mountain, not a cat….”

Aaron, who had been called away by the coach, had returned. And he had done so with footsteps as light as if he were training to be a ninja. When Je-rim refused to answer the question and just trembled, Aaron twitched an eyebrow as if it were absurd.

“Everyone is working out; what do you want me to do, shout ‘I’m entering!’ every time I open the door?”

“Just lose an argument for once. Who knows? Maybe I’ll tell you you’re cute too.”

“Don’t make me laugh. You’d just ask if I’d eaten something wrong.”

Would he only ask if he’d eaten something wrong? He’d probably ask if he was sick and nag him to see the team doctor immediately so it wouldn’t affect the upcoming matches. Before Je-rim could react to being hit so close to home, William, who was finishing his stretching in the distance, yelled at the top of his lungs.

“You two! I’m starting the count for the argument!”

At the vice-captain’s frost-like shout, the captain hurriedly lowered his voice and grumbled.

“Ugh, does that guy buy stocks with all the fines he collects….”

“I heard he wants to use that money for a party after the Molden match.”

“Why the hell do I have to feed these dark-skinned men with my own money….”

Every single one of them earned a weekly wage at least three or four times that of an average office worker. Aaron spitefully added to the miserable-looking Je-rim that his own money was included in that pot, so why act like he was paying for it alone.

So what, your weekly wage is almost 1.5 times mine. When Je-rim made that sly, annoying expression—the one previously dubbed ‘the dignified look of the Sefton captain’—Aaron reached out and covered Je-rim’s entire face. The small face was completely eclipsed by the large palm.

“You should try using that handsome face properly. Then you’d be so much cuter.”

“Mmph!”

Je-rim struggled desperately, like an evil spirit about to be exorcised by holy water. At that uncontrollable frenzy, Aaron laughed lowly and slightly loosened his grip to uncover only the mouth. Then, gently shaking the small head, he questioned him like an interrogator.

“So, which one of these dark-skinned men exactly is cute?”

“Who else? The youngest, at least.”

“Aha.”

Je-rim pushed Aaron’s arm away with all his might and bluntly pointed at Reman. Aaron stared at Reman for a moment, then eventually twisted the corner of his mouth into a smirk.

“Your standard for cuteness is… uniquely you. I guess someone has to be at least 6.2 feet tall to look cute in your eyes.”

“Bullshit.”

“You used to call me a chick too—urk!”

Slap! A hearty striking sound filled the gym. Je-rim had swung the sports towel he had draped over the cycle handle like a whip, hitting Aaron right in the mouth.

Due to the gym’s structure, designed for sound to carry, the hearty strike didn’t end with a single blow but echoed across the walls—smack, smack! Even Je-rim, who had swung whatever was in his hand just to shut that libertine mouth, was startled. At the sound, the other teammates began to make a fuss.

“Jerry, are you hitting people now?”

“We haven’t set a fine for assault yet, have we? How much should it be?”

“Wow, that’s too much! Those towels actually hurt.”

“He started it!”

Je-rim protested, pointing a finger at Aaron, who was hunched over clutching his mouth. Then, William approached with the face of a solemn judge and asked.

“Reman, you saw and heard everything from the side. Tell me, who started it?”

Chapter

“Uh, um…. I think it might be Reyes, but then again, maybe not….”

“Did you threaten Reman too?”

“Crazy, no I didn’t!”

Unable to report exactly what he saw and heard—that ‘without anyone starting first, they both worked hard at picking fights with each other’—Reman avoided eye contact, prompting William to glare at Je-rim with eyes like needles. That cold gaze didn’t vanish until after the morning training ended and lunch was finished.

Afraid that staying in William’s sight for too long might lead to another fine, Je-rim finished his meal in a hurry. William seemed preoccupied, pondering how much the fine for assault should be. Not knowing when the finalized amount for the assault fine would leave his mouth, Je-rim felt pathetic, keeping himself as quiet as a dead mouse throughout the meal, but he didn’t dare make a sound.

Taking advantage of the moment William was spaced out while talking to his daughter, Je-rim successfully escaped the cafeteria and headed toward the meeting spot. Before long, Aaron and Reman, who had agreed to do individual training together, gathered one by one.

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

With no other teammates around and only the three of them gathered, a suffocating awkwardness rushed in. Only after seeing their respective sullen faces, none of whom seemed to have any intention of speaking first, did Je-rim realize that this selection of people was wrong—very wrong.

‘I’m screwed….’

Aaron seemed annoyed that Reman continued to be prickly despite his attempts to show goodwill, and Reman probably just disliked Aaron’s very existence….

In a situation like this, he felt an obsessive pressure that he, who was reasonably close to both and wore the captain’s armband, had to be the one to break the silence. Je-rim first glanced at Aaron.

“Is your… mouth okay?”

“It hurts. It’s so swollen I couldn’t even eat properly.”

“Reman, did you eat well?”

“So-so….”

I’m going to go crazy. Why on earth did both of them fail to eat properly? Should I just pretend I have a cramp in my leg, roll around on the ground once, and go home? Why did I suggest individual training…. Why did I push them to get a massage…. Je-rim was secretly regretting his impulsive behavior.

“Jerry, do you have a moment?”

Just then, a staff member he was quite close with approached and spoke warmly. He was a literal savior. Je-rim immediately grabbed the staff member’s arm and shot him a desperate look, pleading for him to take him anywhere.

“Yes. Is something wrong?”

Even if nothing is wrong, I’ll follow you. Thinking this, he nodded frantically, and the staff member smiled and pointed toward the back corner of the cafeteria building. Just as he rounded the corner, feeling bewildered as if being introduced to a surprise gift—

“I’m here.”

“…Coach?”

Standing in the secluded back alley with his arms wide open was Coach Kang Ju-han, the CEO of the agency Je-rim belonged to and his former mentor. As if telling him to run and hug him. Je-rim immediately abandoned the two colleagues who had been making his life difficult and ran into his arms in one leap.

“Coach! Seriously, the timing, seriously…!”

It was the long-awaited moment of liberation.

Je-rim’s lips curved into a happy arc as he babbled that he wouldn’t be able to train today because a very important guest had arrived. He canceled the appointment he had made as if he had been waiting for the chance, and moved lightheartedly to the reception room.

Je-rim personally brewed two cups of capsule coffee and placed a sweet caramel latte in front of Ju-han. His own portion was an americano with no additives.

After tasting a sip of the coffee, Je-rim frowned and immediately set the cup down. It was a coffee he used to enjoy quite a bit, but after tasting the hand-drip coffee Aaron had brewed for him, all other coffees seemed the same.

Replacing the bitter coffee with hot water, Je-rim added another cup in front of himself and muttered with a look of deep relief.

“I really survived thanks to you, Coach….”

“Kid, I told you to call me CEO. More importantly, weren’t you with other people earlier? The voices I heard suggested you weren’t alone. Is it okay for you to just come away with me like this?”

“It’s fine. I was honestly waiting desperately for someone to take me far away….”

Ju-han let out a hollow laugh at the line that sounded like it came from the protagonist of a heavy melodrama.

“You’re cringey, Ban Je-rim. Where did you learn to act so cute? Are you really that glad to see me?”

“It’s not acting cute, but I am glad. Didn’t you miss me, CEO?”

“You brat…. I missed you too.”

The boisterous laughter of the two followed immediately. Je-rim didn’t hold very good feelings toward the managers or coaches who taught him during his youth in Korea. Except for Ju-han.

Though he had a history of instigating Je-rim’s mother, claiming it would be a national loss if a kid like this didn’t play soccer and urging her to get him English tutoring first, he was a figure to be grateful to in many ways. Based on his own experience studying in Spain, he was the benefactor who created various opportunities for Je-rim.

He arranged Je-rim’s entry into the Tavarona youth system so he wouldn’t have to struggle financially while playing soccer, and by the time Je-rim became an adult, he volunteered as his agent and quickly facilitated a transfer to a club that promised a first-team professional contract.

Using that experience and the merit of discovering two national team players, Ban Je-rim and Song Yeo-bin, Ju-han established a professional soccer player agency with Chang-sik. That agency currently took reliable responsibility for domestic star players, including Je-rim and Yeo-bin.

Above all, he was the only instructor who had no history of hitting Je-rim. The way Je-rim handled his teammates as captain was also modeled after the words and actions of Ju-han, who had been his coach, and Glenn, who had been the captain of Newham FC. Easing tension with witty remarks, maintaining a friendly distance, yet being strict when necessary.

Since he was a person who had such a profound influence on him, there was no way he wouldn’t be glad to see him. Je-rim asked comfortably, his eyes softening.

“When did you get here? Did Chang-sik Hyung come with you?”

Is he hiding like a surprise gift too? Je-rim looked around quickly and glared suspiciously at the cabinet, but Ju-han waved his hand.

“No, Chang-sik is busy. He’s probably running around until his feet sweat right now, adjusting your November schedule.”

“My November schedule? What is there to adjust? Didn’t I already agree with the club that I wouldn’t be called up for the A Matches that month?”

Since the absence from the November A Matches had been decided early on, he asked back with some anxiety, wondering if something had fallen through. While it was sad not to be able to return to Korea, he had been inwardly looking forward to the two-week vacation he could finally enjoy. To this, Ju-han clapped his hands loudly to draw Je-rim’s attention.

“That’s right. That’s why I want you to film a variety show.”

“…Suddenly?”

“Why the reaction? You love appearing on broadcasts.”

“No…. I don’t like it anymore…. And it’s during the season….”

The lie detector video he filmed with Aaron had become a massive meme among fans, and at the same time, it had long since become a trauma for Je-rim. Since then, perhaps realizing that pairing him with Aaron made money, the club had been planning all sorts of bizarre internal content, giving him a headache.

A quiz about each other with Aaron. A treasure hunt around the training center with Aaron. Shopping at the Sefton souvenir shop within a set budget with Aaron. A truth game with Aaron. Besides those, with Aaron, with Aaron, with Aaron…. There were more than five projects he had rejected, saying he absolutely couldn’t do them.

He knew the soccer world operated on extreme capitalism, but this was a bit…. Whenever he saw the comments running in every language like they were coughing up blood, or the YouTube views inflated several times over whenever he and Aaron were together, even the great Je-rim felt a bit scared. And the manic smiles of the media team staff, who grinned as if they were on doping while looking at those views….

If the club was like this, it was obvious how the Korean broadcasting stations, who were even more obsessed with money than the club, would be. When Je-rim showed a reluctant reaction, Ju-han rubbed his palms together, trying to persuade him.

“If you’re not called up, you’ll be resting for nearly two weeks. If you film something so you don’t get bored, it’s good for you and good for the fans—a win-win, perfectly.”

“What kind of variety show is it?”

“I Live Alone. You know it, right?”

It was a familiar name. It was a variety show he often watched, and since he just had to show his daily life spent ‘alone’ as the title suggested, his worries naturally vanished. Je-rim immediately changed his stance and nodded.

“Ah, if it’s that, then sure. I get it.”

“What? Then what kind of show did you think I was going to ask you to film that you were so disgusted?”

“I thought it would be like the club’s internal content… where I have to do something with other teammates… or something like that.”

“How would a Korean broadcasting station recruit your other teammates? They’re all far too expensive.”

“That’s true. But why did you suddenly come, CEO? Surely you didn’t come just to persuade me to film a variety show.”

Now that he was the CEO of a sports agency rather than a youth soccer academy coach, there was no way he had time to spare. The variety show matter was something that could have been handled by a phone call from his dedicated agent, Chang-sik. At Je-rim’s sharp interrogation, Ju-han hesitated and avoided his gaze.

“Just to see my old student’s face… and my daughter has been singing, singing about wanting to visit Buckingham Palace.”

“So the purpose is sightseeing after all.”

“No, you brat. Would I have come to Sefton just to see Buckingham Palace?”

Since there was quite a distance between London and Sefton, it made sense for Ju-han to speak so confidently. Even if the reason for coming to England was his daughter, Je-rim joked at the fact that he had made the trip to Sefton alone just to see him.

“You should have come when I was a bit more free. Then I could have acted as your guide.”

“Good grief, I wouldn’t have the nerve to use a guy who ranks in the top 5 for weekly wages in the PL as a guide.”

“I’m offering to volunteer for free. Oh, are your wife and daughter doing well?”

“Of course. How are you doing? Looking at your recent performance, it would be stranger if you weren’t doing well.”

“Can’t you tell? My face is glowing.”

As Je-rim lifted his chin boastfully, Ju-han pinched his own lip with a finger and clicked his tongue. An obsessive gaze observing every corner of Je-rim’s face was a bonus.

“Tsk, maybe I should have told you to try being a talent instead of soccer when you were young.”

“Mrs. Hwang would have refused that. The reason she sent me to the academy in the first place was to wear out my stamina.”

“True. She said the kid was like a flying monkey, and since the third child was about to be born and she couldn’t handle it, she asked me at first to make the kid exhausted before sending him back.”

At the welcome testimony, Je-rim’s face became highly agitated as he slammed both hands on the table.

“She said I was like a flying monkey? My mother did?”

“Why are you so surprised? When you were young, really… ugh, your temper and your stamina.”

“Right? My stamina is, like, really good, isn’t it?”

“Do you even need to ask? In a pinch, you can even handle back-to-back full-time matches.”

“Right? Phew, that bastard said something unnecessary….”

Je-rim stopped muttering curses and unconsciously took a sip of coffee, only to wrinkle his nose again. Ugh, bitter. It had no nutty flavor and was just bitter like herbal medicine; he didn’t know what state of mind he had been in to think this coffee tasted good until now.

Or had his taste become too sophisticated because of Aaron’s coffee? After drinking it just once? Maybe he should casually ask what beans he uses next time. Despite caring about the comment that his stamina was lacking, his face became serious as he pondered something completely unrelated to stamina. Toward such a Je-rim, Ju-han exploded in anger.

“That bastard? Who? Who says my student’s stamina is lacking?”

“Aaron. He told me my body is worse than a jellyfish….”

Since it was night then, he had left without finishing the coffee for fear he wouldn’t be able to sleep…. What a waste. Because he was constantly daydreaming, he didn’t realize that his tone had become like a spiteful snitch reporting a classmate to a homeroom teacher. Nor did he notice that Ju-han’s reaction was slightly delayed.

“…Aaron? Aaron Reyes?”

“Is there another Aaron? There’s only him.”

While there might be players named Aaron in other clubs, the only player who could be known just by the name ‘Aaron’ without any prior explanation was the Aaron on their team. At Je-rim’s indifferent answer, Ju-han suddenly gathered his legs neatly, interlaced his fingers, and asked.

“Ahem, how is it… with him? Weren’t you two very… close in the past?”

“We’re not that close now. Just so-so colleagues.”

“…….”

“Why? Ah, you’re worried we’ll fight? Look at our ages, we don’t do that anymore.”

Thinking that Ju-han might be worried about the incident during the World Cup, just like Chang-sik, he added that. Although, despite saying they decided not to fight, he had just swung a towel like a whip to make the guy’s mouth swell…. He rationalized it as a type of common prank between colleagues and let it slide.

However, even after hearing Je-rim’s assurance, Ju-han didn’t seem relieved and continued to rub his interlaced hands for a while. His lips kept twitching as if he wanted to ask something more. But he eventually let out a deep sigh and changed the subject.

“No, never mind…. Are you dating anyone these days?”

“Why are all my Korean acquaintances curious about my love life…?”

With a fed-up expression, Je-rim shook his head. His mother, Chang-sik Hyung, CEO Kang, Han-seong, Yeo-bin, and even other national team colleagues—whenever they contacted him, it always ended up being this topic. That guy Kim Han-seong even took a ‘scoop guarantee’ without paying a dime, saying that if he ever got married, he must tell him first.

“Why else? By the standards of a soccer player, at your age, you’d usually have at least one kid.”

“That’s only for foreign players. Yeo-bin isn’t married either.”

Foreign players tend to marry early. Even if they don’t marry, it was certainly a common trend to have children early. Since the common-law marriage system is well-established, they start families and have children from their early to mid-twenties without official marriage registration. Even William or Robin already had children three or four years old, despite being younger than Je-rim.

But that was by foreign player standards; while Korean players also generally marry faster than ordinary people, there were often cases where they didn’t. For example, people like him or Yeo-bin. As Je-rim picked at his ear, Ju-han breathed out a huff of air, thumping his chest in frustration.

“Are you and he even in a position to compare? He’s back in Korea, and you’re going to play in England until you retire? To put it bluntly, he’s now far from the public’s interest. The situation itself is different from yours…!”

“…Yeo-bin is also your student, Coach, and belongs to your agency. Don’t speak so carelessly.”

Before Ju-han could make a further crossing-the-line remark, Je-rim quickly stepped in and cut him off. He didn’t know why Ju-han had suddenly become so excited while talking about the useless topic of dating and marriage, but he naturally didn’t feel good. Fortunately, Ju-han quickly regained his composure and apologized.

“…I misspoke.”

A stinging silence dominated the reception room for a while. Je-rim normally hated this kind of awkward atmosphere to the point of shivering, but this time, he didn’t speak first. Ju-han watched his frozen disciple’s mood, then awkwardly licked his lips and broke the silence first.

“Anyway, my point is, to consistently show stable skill, it’s good to have a family. Do you think players marry before transferring overseas for no reason? They do it because it’s necessary.”

That would be true. The psychological sense of stability is entirely different depending on whether one comes to a distant foreign land alone or with family. That’s why his mother had also tried desperately to follow him to England at first. Though he had stubbornly insisted that he was an adult now and wanted to live alone, forcing her back to Korea.

It had been about 10 years since Je-rim had lived alone in England. Although he had felt loneliness many times during that period, he had never experienced a slump because of it. The only time he experienced something that could be called a slump was around the time he broke up with Aaron.

“I’ve played well without a family all this time.”

“Don’t people around you see it as strange? Don’t they find it fascinating that you haven’t dated a woman for years and seem to have no thought of marriage? There’s no field as macho and conservative as this. You know that best of all.”

“My teammates tease me sometimes, but I just ignore it. And it’s not like everyone is ‘Marriage! Women!’ unconditionally like it was when you played soccer, Coach.”

Even though he knew the culture was still conservative, just that it wasn’t as overt, Je-rim replied nonchalantly. The fact that there wasn’t a single player who had come out in the Top 4 Leagues, the largest of them all, was practically proof of the soccer world’s characteristic conservative culture.

Well, it’s not like I’m going to confess that I’ve dated men in the past; at most, I’m just saying I’ll marry a bit late. This wasn’t something that should have been a major issue. However, according to the old-fashioned mindset of Ju-han, it seemed to be quite a big deal.

“…Je-rim, I want my student to live… stably. I want you to hit your career high and retire without any scandals.”

While it was impossible to understand why he was so worried, this was a statement of goodwill that Je-rim could accept with a good heart. The sincere concern from the only coach he had ever followed somewhat eased the resentment he felt over the remarks that had dismissed Yeo-bin.

Softening his gaze again, Je-rim wore a faint smile.

“That’s why I’m not dating, so don’t worry.”

“Why?”

“I’ve tried it a few times, and it just… doesn’t suit me.”

He was afraid that if he fell too deeply for someone, he would lose his mind again, just as he had when he broke up with Aaron. On the other hand, when he kept things light and casual, it always ended with him being dumped, which made it boring. With the deadline he had set for his retirement in his mind drawing near, he didn’t want to start a new relationship and create something to worry about outside of his matches.

There was no need to lay out these inner workings in detail to his mentor. Instead of continuing, Je-rim tidied the table and stood up.

“Don’t worry, I’ll go back to Korea and get married after I retire, so stop nagging. We haven’t seen each other in a while, and look at the mood.”

“…I’m sorry. I just….”

“It’s fine. Let’s head out. I need to get off work too.”

Je-rim pulled his phone from his pants pocket to check the time. Aaron and Reman had been sent back earlier, so they would have gone home, and other colleagues would have finished work long ago.

‘We talked longer than I thought.’

Time really does fly these days. Muttering a sorrowful lament that betrayed his age, Je-rim checked his accumulated notifications. While replying to the ones that needed immediate answers and swiping away the ones that didn’t, his expression turned serious upon seeing a particular message.

Save me

“…What is this?”

Seriously, what is this? There was no context or explanation, just a lonely ‘help me.’ He couldn’t even begin to guess what had happened based on Reman’s message, and he accidentally spoke aloud. Ju-han, who was in the middle of putting on his coat, asked back.

“What?”

“No, I just got a strange message…. I should go. CEO, have a safe trip and I’ll see you next time I go back to Korea!”

Starting to worry that an accident might have happened on the way home, Je-rim was about to call Reman. Just as he opened the lounge door and stepped into the hallway, Ju-han hurriedly called out to stop him.

“Ah, wait. Je-rim! Have you been in touch with your mother often lately?”

“About twice a month? Why?”

“Try reaching out to her first. It seems she’s been going back to the hospital lately. Alone, without your sister.”

“…She didn’t mention that to me?”

The unexpected news was not the kind he wanted to hear. Recalling the conversation they had just a few days ago, Je-rim’s face stiffened. His mother had only given him routine nagging, like telling him to eat well and sleep well; she hadn’t breathed a word about being unwell.

It had been a stroke of luck that his mother, who had suddenly collapsed from a myocardial infarction a year ago, was discovered in time. His mother lived in Korea with his younger sister, Je-ah, but since Je-ah worked, she was away from home for long periods.

The only reason his mother, who had collapsed around weekday lunchtime when Je-ah was at work, could be found was because Je-rim had happened to return to Korea after the Season ended. He remembered how terrified he had been to find her collapsed on the utility room floor while looking around for her, despite the feast laid out on the dining table.

Fortunately, she was transported to the hospital within the golden hour and underwent surgery, recovering without serious aftereffects. Since then, she hadn’t specifically mentioned being in pain.

But why the hospital all of a sudden? Was it for a regular check-up? But as far as he knew, she usually went with Je-ah on her days off. Furthermore, if his mother had gone to the hospital for any reason other than a check-up, there was no way Je-ah wouldn’t have told him. He hadn’t heard anything from Je-ah….

Seeing Je-rim’s face, which had become completely devoid of expression, Ju-han added ramblingly.

“I only found out because I happened to run into her while taking my father-in-law to the hospital… I don’t know the details. Just call her and ask, kid. Only twice a month for your parents? Knowing your personality, it’s obvious you wouldn’t reach out first.”

“…….”

As Ju-han said, except for the few months immediately following the surgery, the number of times he had initiated contact was countable on one hand. Realizing he had been a rather cold son, Je-rim kept his mouth shut as Ju-han gave his head a firm pat.

“She’s a woman who lives only for you. Be good to her. And….”

Just as he was about to say more, a figure that had seemed to be approaching from the far end of the hallway grew closer and clearer. There were two figures. One was walking limply like a jellyfish, and the other was walking with a normal posture a short distance away.

Though one of them had a bizarre way of walking, Je-rim’s eyes widened at the familiar faces. As the distance closed, the others acknowledged him as well.

“Je, Jerry….”

“What, Je-rim. You were here?”

It was Reman and Aaron. Before he could feel puzzled as to why the two, whom he assumed had gone home, were still at the training center, Je-rim stared intently at Reman.

Both Aaron and Reman were drenched in sweat, but Reman, frankly, looked more like a mollusk than a human. His voice was lifeless, like someone on the verge of death.

In contrast, Aaron had an expression that looked somehow refreshed. The corners of his lips, which were still slightly swollen, were subtly twisted. Like someone holding back a laugh…. Je-rim reached a logical conclusion.

“…Did you hit Reman?”

This bastard with the shitty temper finally took Reman aside and dealt with him while I wasn’t looking—that was the only way to interpret their appearance. Did he hit him because he wanted him to call him by his name without complaining? No matter how much he hated being called by his surname, to do that to a Hubae in the same position who was much younger….

Toward Je-rim, who was glancing at him with reproachful eyes, Aaron chattered with an aggrieved look.

“What. I just gave him some personal training. This guy’s stamina is even weaker than yours.”

“Don’t tell me your standard for ‘good stamina’ is yourself?”

“Of course I’m the standard.”

Je-rim clutched his forehead at the attitude that suggested he was the center of the universe and that all standards were naturally based on himself as the specimen.

“You crazy bastard. You ran the kid ragged like that? He can’t even walk properly!”

“I just practiced running together to prepare for the future…. And while I was at it, I looked over his shooting form a bit. I did the same training as Reman.”

The moment he heard that they did the same training, Je-rim’s head spun. The volume of training Aaron handled had far exceeded the standard for an average adult player since long ago.

Poor Reman. He must have already exhausted his stamina playing in a practice match during training today, and then he was caught by that monster in the afternoon and subjected to that brutal training. So that’s why he sent the ‘save me’ message. Now that he could finally decipher that mysterious message, Je-rim hurriedly supported Reman.

“Crazy. Reman, are you okay? Want a piggyback ride?”

“No, no…. It’s not that bad….”

Reman slowly pulled himself away and then slumped against the wall as his strength gave out. Seeing that sight, Je-rim clicked his tongue loud enough for everyone to hear.

“What do you mean it’s not that bad? Do you know how surprised I was when you suddenly texted me to save you?”

At the mention of the text, Aaron’s eyes narrowed slightly. Crossing his arms as if displeased, he looked Reman up and down and laughed lowly.

“You sent a text like that in the middle of all this? I guess it was somewhat manageable. By the way, who is this?”

“What. CEO, you haven’t left yet?”

Following Aaron’s gaze, Je-rim turned around and was belatedly surprised. There stood Ju-han, looking as if he had seen a ghost, gripping the handle of the half-open lounge door tightly.

“…I have to finish telling you before I go. A filming team will be coming for a preliminary survey soon, so welcome them well. Chang-sik-ssi will be coming with them then.”

“I thought it was something else. Ah, thank you for telling me about my mother. It must be dawn in Korea now… I’ll call her first thing in the morning.”

“Right. Reach out to her often, kid. Well then, I’ll be going….”

Ju-han, popping up the collar of his coat, turned his back. Je-rim, who was about to let Ju-han go without much thought, realized his mistake when he saw Aaron and Reman sending him puzzled looks. Since neither of them understood Korean, they looked even more bewildered.

Still, it would be polite to introduce them before he left. Moreover, since both Aaron and Reman were popular players, it would be beneficial for Ju-han, who ran an agency, to get acquainted with them. Calculating this, Je-rim quickly grabbed the hem of Ju-han’s coat and spun him halfway around.

“Since you’ve run into them, say hello before you go. This is Aaron, and this is Reman. Though you probably know them without an introduction. And this is my agency CEO and my coach from my youth days.”

To the concise introduction, Reman responded with polite words, and Aaron responded by offering a handshake first.

“Nice to meet you. I am Reman Fritz.”

“Pleasure. I believe we’ve met before, have we? I think I saw you once during my youth days.”

As he spoke, Aaron’s eyes curved into a smile. Is this bastard interested in the coach? For a moment, that thought crossed Je-rim’s mind because the smile was so mischievous. His eyes were naturally quite slender, and the atmosphere he exuded was decadent, so whenever he smiled with his eyes curving like a fox, it often gave that impression….

Regardless, it was certainly a smile that he had put more effort into than usual. But he couldn’t possibly be interested in Ju-han, who was the age of an uncle. Is he looking for a new agency? But if that were the case, Ju-han should be the one begging Aaron to please sign with them; Aaron wasn’t in a position to reach out first and ask for a favor.

Above all, Ju-han, who might have just encountered the opportunity of a lifetime, didn’t look like someone who wanted to seize that opportunity. He barely grazed Aaron’s hand and quickly bowed his head.

“Ah, yes, yes…. I am Kang Ju-han.”

Ju-han was like a frog in front of a snake. Je-rim felt a moment of confusion at the sight that was completely opposite to his usually confident attitude, but he soon understood. Considering Aaron’s physique, face, atmosphere, and fierce tattoos, most people would react like Ju-han.

On top of that, with a World Cup win, three Ballon d’Or awards, and multiple Champions wins, Aaron’s reputation in the football world was immense. As someone who had been in the same industry, Ju-han probably felt like he was seeing a legendary figure right in front of him. Thinking of it that way, it was understandable that he didn’t know how to act.

“Was that so? Your memory is frighteningly good….”

Je-rim deliberately looked away from his mentor’s flustered state and whispered to Aaron. Regardless of Ju-han’s attitude, Aaron’s meticulous memory had always been quite shocking to him.

“That’s a compliment, right?”

“Look at my tone.”

“Thanks for the compliment.”

His smiling face was so obnoxious that Je-rim almost hit him, but he barely held back when his swollen lips came into view. He hadn’t known a towel could possess such great power, so he felt slightly sorry. …The plumpness looked a bit like a bird’s beak, and it was chubby in a way that didn’t suit that dangerous face, making it actually very slightly cute….

‘Cute… cute…?’

Crazy bastard. Je-rim slapped both his cheeks hard with his palms. It was an act of punishing himself for harboring such absurd thoughts. As he squeezed his temples, feeling that wasn’t enough, Ju-han called him.

“Je-rim, I’m leaving now. I have to be back in London by evening.”

“Ah, yes. Go safely!”

By the time he pronounced ‘safely,’ Ju-han had already disappeared into the distance. At the sight of him fleeing as if his tail were on fire, Aaron cracked a joke.

“Did his house catch fire?”

“His family is in London. Anyway, you’ve practically half-killed the kid, goodness…. Want me to help him walk?”

Reman, who had seemed like a living creature until a moment ago, had lost even more strength while lingering in the hallway and had turned into something like a promotional balloon doll. Je-rim clicked his tongue again. Despite being barely able to stand leaning against the wall, Reman rejected Je-rim’s offer again.

“I’m telling you, it’s not that bad. The message… I just made a mistake because I was too exhausted for a moment. Please forget it. Reyes, if you have time, I’d like to ask for more training together next time.”

Then he made an unexpected request. Aaron raised one eyebrow slightly, as if surprised. Je-rim also just stared at Reman in silence, unable to understand why someone who was dying was asking to be killed again.

Don’t they have a bad relationship to begin with? I guess that part improved a bit while doing personal training. Honestly, the fact that the two of them stayed behind to train without him was unexpected, so he wondered how things had ended up this way.

In contrast, Aaron quickly erased his surprised expression and smiled with interest.

“Anytime. Instead, do your stamina training on your own in your spare time. Even if we’re teammates, I can’t look after everything from one to ten, can I? You wouldn’t want that anyway, as it would hurt your pride.”

“Hey, just….”

If he was going to accept, he could just do it nicely, but he always added something obnoxious to upset the other person. Just as Je-rim was poking Aaron’s side to give him a hint.

“You’re right.”

Surprisingly, Reman readily agreed. Judging by the way he clenched his fists, he seemed somewhat frustrated, but he was in a mood to admit what needed to be admitted. Aaron looked up triumphantly at Je-rim and stretched out both arms, wrapping them around the shoulders of Je-rim and Reman respectively.

“Let’s go, muscle pain all goes away with a massage. You too, Je-rim. Juan says he’s arrived.”

It was a combination that reminded him of the first day of the pre-season visit to Korea. Back then, it seemed they had gone to dinner as a trio under Aaron’s lead. Even the posture of putting arms around shoulders and the positions—with Aaron in the middle and Je-rim and Reman on the ends—were identical. However, they were only identical on the surface; the intimate circumstances had changed significantly.

‘A lot has changed in two or three months.’

Things like his relationship with Aaron, and the relationship between Aaron and Reman…. Back then, he only wanted to kill Aaron for being so thick-skinned and clingy, but now it had improved to the point where he could willingly accept an arm around his shoulder.

Instead of pushing Aaron’s arm away, Je-rim walked briskly while sending a message to his mother asking to talk when she woke up. The only visible difference was that this time, he could follow without having to adjust his stride to Aaron’s.

✲✲✲

-Oh, you! I wondered why you’d call so early in the morning! Don’t worry about unnecessary things and just work hard at your own job. Your recent results are great. You have a match against your rival team soon, right? Fighting, my son!

After waiting for daybreak in Korea and attempting to call several times, his mother finally answered, insisting she was fine and had only gone to the hospital because her back hurt. He naturally felt uneasy after the call ended with such a conversation, but there was nothing he could do.

He couldn’t possibly visit Korea right before the Derby Match against Molden in a few days, and even if he pressed her, it was obvious that given her personality, she would never tell him. She was the kind of person who had hidden the occasional chest pain until the moment she collapsed, fearing her son might ruin his condition by worrying about her.

Instead, he had no choice but to ask his sister, Je-ah, to keep an eye on their mother’s condition and for Je-rim himself to reach out more often. His mother seemed unaware that this was actually more tiring.

‘If you’re sick, just say you’re sick….’

As soon as he hung up, irritation flared alongside worry. However, with training for the Molden match scheduled for tomorrow morning, it would be problematic to lose sleep by dwelling on negative emotions. After texting Je-ah, Je-rim forced himself to sleep.

A few days passed. The Molden match was tomorrow, right around the corner. Waking up earlier than usual, Je-rim had a quick breakfast and headed straight to the training center.

“Good morning.”

Was it the effect of the upcoming Derby Match? No one was late today, and even the guys who usually wandered around looking like zombies before they’d fully woken up were wide awake and alert. The way they changed into their training gear one by one was as solemn as if they were heading into an actual match. Following suit, Je-rim quickly changed, put his phone in his locker, and headed out to the training ground.

After some light stretching and ice-breaking games, they played a practice match tailored to the tactics they would use against Molden. Coach Verdi observed each player meticulously. Since Je-rim knew he had to be the key player in a difficult match, he crammed the coach’s instructions into his head with utmost seriousness.

Using both his body and mind left him twice as exhausted, but it also made the time fly twice as fast. The other teammates seemed to feel the same; as they headed back to the dressing room after training, chatter filled the air about how the session felt unusually short today. Je-rim gave a few half-hearted responses to the trivial conversation and took his phone out of the locker. He only intended to check his notifications before showering.

However, the moment he saw the flood of missed calls and messages from his younger sister, Je-ah, he forgot about the shower and immediately called her back. Je-ah answered before the first ring had even finished.

-Oppa! Why is it so hard to reach you!

“I was training. What’s going on?”

At the seriousness in Je-rim’s voice, the teammates about to enter the shower room paused. Even if they couldn’t understand the Korean, they seemed to instinctively sense that something had happened. Je-rim didn’t even think about moving to a more private spot; he was entirely focused on Je-ah’s words.

His heart sank as he heard his first younger sister—who was usually blunt and never spoke weakly—sobbing. An ominous feeling washed over him. It felt that way perhaps because he had a hunch about what she was about to say. Sure enough, his suspicions were confirmed.

-Mom collapsed again. She’s in surgery right now, but they say the prognosis isn’t good because it’s the second time… Ugh, what do we do? What if something really happens to her…?

“Stop crying. Are you alone right now? What about Father or Je-hee?”

-Only Je-hee said she’d come on the first train tomorrow… I don’t think Dad can make it…

Since his father and youngest sibling, Je-hee, lived in Busan, it was natural they couldn’t come immediately. Though, since it had been well over ten years since the divorce, it was more likely that his father wouldn’t come rather than couldn’t. And honestly, even if Je-hee did come, he wasn’t sure how much he could rely on her…

Je-rim groaned, thinking of his youngest sibling’s cheeky and immature personality. Je-ah seemed to be thinking the same thing, as she asked in a cautious voice.

-Oppa… can you come? I’m so scared being here alone…

“…I…”

The words saying he would come immediately got stuck in his throat. The match was tomorrow. And not just any match, but the Derby Match. He was the pivot of the tactics, and it was a game that the coach, the players, the fans, and Je-rim himself had looked forward to with desperate longing, especially after the sorrow of losing the championship last Season.

If he dropped out in this situation, would the match even run properly? Wouldn’t the teammates and fans all lose their spirit? Would the coach even allow him to miss the game for a reason other than an injury? Even if he were allowed, could he really go without any worries or guilt?

“I’ll sort things out and call you back.”

After hesitating, he ended the call without giving a definitive answer. Meanwhile, his teammates, who had been standing there half-naked like sentry meerkats, immediately bombarded him with questions.

“What’s wrong?”

“Later. Where is the coach? Coach!”

Je-rim rushed out to find the coach.

A midfielder who covers a wide range from their own team’s penalty box to the opponent’s penalty box, taking on all sorts of roles.