By Zephyria 
This was Je-rim’s feeling upon lifting the Big Ear for the second time in his life.
Ah, as expected, it’s not as thrilling as the first time.
Of course, he was happy and proud. He felt like he was floating. But compared to last year, when it felt surreal as if his feet were hovering off the ground, something was definitely missing.
‘Aaron wasn’t suffering from mannerism for nothing.’
To think his impressions would change this much starting from the second time. Je-rim held his breath, harboring a thought that others would call arrogant if they heard it. He wasn’t the only one sitting around the breakfast table, hunched over and covering the lower half of his face as if troubled.
“What do I do…? The retweets have already passed 100,000. What do I really do?”
There was no immediate answer to Marshall’s tearful voice. It was because everyone was desperately tensing their stomachs, leaving them with no room to squeeze out a voice. Craig, who managed to maintain some composure, patted Marshall a beat late.
“It’s okay. I’m still living a perfectly fine life, so that’s nothing….”
Edson, feeling completely called out by Craig’s words, dropped his fork and crawled under the table. It was the moment Marshall’s expression softened slightly at the sincere consolation of someone who had experienced something similar.
“Yeah, and your popularity is actually quite good. I’m already getting messages asking me to introduce you to them.”
But for some reason, they’re all men. Was the firm butt that impressive? Aaron finally let his mischievous tongue wag. He was true to form, never missing a chance to tease others.
Starting from that, snickering sounds began to leak from the others. Since everyone had been desperately holding back their laughter since yesterday, it was bound to explode.
The incident occurred during a group Ceremony after the Champions League final held yesterday in Madrid, Spain. While sliding across the grass, Marshall’s uniform pants and underwear had slid down together.
Naturally, Marshall’s buttocks and the slightly revealed, rag-like underwear with holes in it were broadcast live to the entire world via camera, and within a day, the video had devolved into a source of amusement for people worldwide.
As soon as his pants dropped, a synthesized video played showing light erupting from his buttocks like fireflies; the protagonist of the clip flipped his phone over in utter despondency.
“…My chances of getting married are gone.”
“Weren’t they already gone? Back when you caused that scene on an eight-lane road trying to win back your ex….”
“I saw that video too. Once that spread all the way to Spain, you were already….”
“Jerry, Aaron!”
Je-rim, who had started bursting into laughter because of Aaron, was wheezing and clutching his chest while nitpicking, and just as Aaron joined in, Craig stepped in to stop them. The two glanced at Marshall, whose eyes were welling up, and tactfully shut their mouths. However, that effort didn’t last long.
“Marshall, I think you were just unlucky. Why on earth did your pants… on the day you wore those old underwear….”
“Those are my lucky panties! I have to wear them for important matches! It’s a jinx I’ve had since my youth days!”
“A, pfft… hm, you have a jinx too…?”
The moment Reman, who was trying his best to offer comfort, asked back in a strained, steady voice while his chest heaved, everyone exploded into laughter. They had reached their limit. Now even Craig collapsed onto the table.
Marshall finally burst into tears and pointed a finger at the guy laughing the loudest of them all.
“You guys are seriously too much. Just because it’s not happening to you, right? Especially you, Jerry! I didn’t even laugh when you got caught kissing Aaron last year, but you…!”
“Bullshit. You did. You and Edson laughed the loudest.”
“St-still, as the captain, instead of comforting a teammate’s mental, you mock him? You’re the worst leader!”
“No, what am I supposed to do when it’s funny? Honestly, it is funny! How can you not laugh at this? Even the manager laughed!”
Eleven players sprawled on the grass, and amidst them, one sparkling bare backside and torn panties illuminated by the lights….
Everyone had clearly heard the laughter erupting from the bench the moment Marshall’s pants fell. Except for Marshall, who had been too stunned to function.
Whether it was the testimony that even the manager laughed, Marshall froze like a wooden plank. Aaron clicked his tongue in genuine regret for his pitiful colleague.
“I wonder if Marshall’s butt will be the star of the big screen during the parade. It’s a shame I won’t be there to see it.”
“Both of you stop teasing him. He’s going to retire at this rate.”
The vice-captain, who had been wheezing from laughing so hard, finally stepped in to scold the captain and the ace. It seemed he was only now worried that Marshall’s heart—as fragile and delicate as a cosmos flower—might be bruised. Since Je-rim and Aaron knew well that he possessed an inner self that didn’t match his gangster-like appearance, the mockery stopped there.
Aaron placed a piece of rye bread in Marshall’s bowl as if giving alms. Then, as he stood up, he rested his hand on Je-rim’s head and smiled.
“Well, everyone get some rest and I’ll see you in July. I’m off.”
“Ah, you said you’re going straight to Korea? Have a safe trip.”
The Spanish National Team, which Aaron belonged to, was scheduled for a friendly match against South Korea this June. Originally, it was the time the World Cup should have been held, but because it was confirmed to be hosted in a sweltering region, the schedule had been pushed to the end of the year.
The football associations of South Korea and Spain didn’t miss that opportunity. Since the two greatest star players of the current era, Ban Je-rim and Aaron Reyes, belonged to their respective countries, they agreed to hold a friendly match before the World Cup to maximize public interest.
Thus, Aaron was to set foot on South Korean soil again for the first time since his visit the year before last. Moreover, since he was visiting anyway, he had decided to enter the country early with the team to sightsee and enjoy some free time. This decision by the Spanish team was also a good thing for Je-rim.
‘If I want to do everything I’ve planned, I’ll have to run around intensely until the official call-up date.’
Ever since Aaron’s visit to Korea was decided, Je-rim’s head had been filled with thoughts of things he wanted to do with Aaron in Korea. He wanted to have Aaron try on a hanbok, feed him plenty of his favorite japchae, take him to an oriental clinic famous for acupuncture for ankles, and this time, finally introduce him to his parents….
To execute these various plans, Aaron’s early arrival schedule was a bit tight, but just right. Once they were both officially called up, they wouldn’t be able to meet freely even if they were on the same Korean soil. The free time they could spend together would be a day or two at most, but that was still something.
However, he was dissatisfied with the fact that Aaron had to join the national team today to fit that early schedule.
‘If I asked him to come with me… he probably couldn’t.’
He couldn’t tell Aaron, the captain of the national team, to join late just because he didn’t want to be apart for a few days, so Je-rim steadied his heart.
I’ll let him go coolly today and meet him in Korea in two days. It’s not like he’ll die from being apart for a few days, but lately, those few days felt hard to endure. Perhaps he had caught Aaron’s habit of exaggerating that even an hour apart was difficult.
He vowed to let him go coolly, but as soon as he saw Aaron’s back, the desire to give him a deep kiss before he left took over. Je-rim sprang up after Aaron.
“I’ll go say goodbye to Manager Louis too.”
Fortunately, there was a great excuse: Louis, who had been his manager during his Tavarona youth days, had been appointed as the manager of the Spanish National Team. Manager Louis and the team members were currently gathered in front of the hotel to take Aaron to the airport. This schedule was only possible because the final had been held in Madrid.
His teammates let Je-rim and Aaron go without much word. Though they were silent, he felt the piercing gazes of a few guys who knew the situation, but he ignored them.
As soon as Aaron entered the room to pack his bags, Je-rim pushed him against the wall and pressed their lips together. There was a bed just a few steps away, but he felt that if they lay on the bed where they had mixed their bodies last night, he really wouldn’t be able to let him go, so this was his own form of consideration.
Aaron also responded fervently, as if he had been waiting for this exact moment, quickly pulling Je-rim up into his arms. Je-rim chuckled as Aaron’s tongue licked their touching lips impatiently even before they opened their mouths. Aaron immediately frowned and let out a groan.
“Don’t laugh. It’ll be troublesome if I get hard right now.”
This guy, who gets hard the moment their lips touch, is such a drama queen. Je-rim wrapped his legs around Aaron’s firm waist while sucking on his tongue. Not satisfied with just licking and sucking the soft tongue, he grew more anxious and tilted his head to seal their lips without a gap.
Their breath grew ragged as their noses were pressed against each other’s cheeks, but even that was good. As they frantically explored every corner of each other’s mouths as if competing, wet noises filled the room.
Then, as he suddenly opened his closed eyes, his gaze intertwined with the other, who had also opened his. Only then did the two release their held breath and pull their lips apart with a giggle.
“Ah, damn. I’m going to be late because of you.”
“Is there a fine? I’ll pay it for you.”
“The manager will scold me.”
“I can be scolded instead.”
“I can’t allow that.”
Even while exchanging jokes, they spent a long time dropping kisses all over each other’s faces out of lingering regret. Aaron teased Je-rim, who was panting, by lightly biting his upper lip.
“Was doing it until dawn not enough? Maybe I should have skipped breakfast and just kept going?”
“Why don’t you just advertise that the captain and the ace are dating?”
“Can I? A few guys already know anyway. Should I just reveal it to the teammates this time?”
“Why bother. In a few years, the whole world will know we’re dating anyway.”
“By then, I want to advertise that we’re married.”
At the mention of marriage, which never seemed to tire, Je-rim pinched Aaron’s cheek.
“Here we go again.”
“That’s why you should just let me stop. I’ve been persistently proposing since I was sixteen. If you had just accepted it then, the year before last would have been our 10th wedding anniversary.”
“Again, you’re making an absurd assumption. Well then, try begging me as cutely as possible.”
Between the two of them, there existed a firm belief that they would naturally spend their lives together in some form. Marriage was just one of those various forms; they had already promised eternity. Because of that belief, they could make such jokes, and similarly, Aaron pestered him to marry him like a game.
At Je-rim’s playful scolding, Aaron pursed his lips. A boyish smile that Je-rim loved dearly hung on his lips. One could glimpse his determination to beg as cutely as possible and steal his lover’s soul. Then, the Korean language, which he had become accustomed to after hearing it so much over the past year, flowed from his lips.
[Please marry me, honey.]
“Look at you, is that still the only thing you can say? And how many times do I have to tell you that ‘yeobo’ is a term used after marriage?”
“Whether it’s late or early, the two of us will become a married couple anyway, so don’t be so petty about the terminology.”
“I’m not marrying you until you master Korean.”
When Je-rim responded mischievously while stretching out the cheek he was pinching, Aaron, wearing a rare look of defeat, whined.
“How can you say that after I already gave you the marriage registration form? Korean is hard…. ‘Gyeolhon-hae jwo’, ‘Gyeolhon-hae juseyo’, ‘Gyeolhon-hapsida’, ‘Gyeolhon-haeyo’, ‘Gyeolhon-haja’, ‘Gyeolhon-hae jullae’—why are there so many variations for the same thing?”
Je-rim frowned at the endless parade of the word ‘marriage’. Because he had heard the same word so many times in a row, he had reached a point where he momentarily wondered what the meaning of marriage even was.
Ever since Aaron started learning Korean from Je-rim, he had only started memorizing sentences that included that damn word ‘marriage’. Other than that, he was still at a level where he could barely read short sentences haltingly…. Creating a sentence other than a proposal on his own seemed far-fetched.
It also seemed far-off when he would be able to hear the words he wanted to hear in Korean. When Je-rim, exhausted from teaching him, asked if he just wanted to say ‘please marry me’, Aaron said that wasn’t it. Whenever Je-rim asked when he would finally hear those words, Aaron would change the subject, seemingly embarrassed.
‘If he’s like this after a year of learning, wouldn’t it be better to just give up and use a translator….’
He wasn’t normally a slow learner, but it seemed he was struggling because the word order of Spanish and Korean was completely different. Well, his stuttering was cute, so it was fine.
Je-rim, who had been clinging to Aaron’s waist, hopped down. However, the arms hugging Aaron didn’t loosen. Instead, he tightened his grip, burying his nose in Aaron’s extended neck, radiating that he didn’t want to let go.
Aaron buried his palm in the back of Je-rim’s head and stroked the black hair. A low laugh fluttered in Je-rim’s ear, as if the sensation of front teeth nibbling on bare skin was ticklish.
“At this rate, can I even go to Korea first? Saying you wanted to say goodbye to the manager was just an excuse, wasn’t it?”
“It wasn’t a complete excuse.”
The fragrant scent of soap mixed with Aaron’s unique body scent stimulated Je-rim’s lower half painfully. Both Aaron and he were already half-hard, but remembering Aaron’s busy schedule, Je-rim swallowed the urge to beg for just one more round.
Instead, he settled for lightly biting the protruding Adam’s apple and rubbing their noses together, inhaling the body scent to the fullest. However, as soon as he answered Aaron’s question, his chin was jerked up, and the sticky activity was interrupted. Aaron’s expression was full of betrayal.
“You didn’t follow me because you wanted to be with me for even a little bit longer?”
“We’re going to see each other in Korea right away anyway, so what.”
The reason Aaron guessed was correct, but Je-rim bluffed for no reason. He did it anticipating that his jealous boyfriend would pout. But as soon as he saw those chick-colored eyes glaring at him, he couldn’t stand it and confessed immediately.
“Actually, it is an excuse. I followed you out because I wanted to be with you for even one more minute and second. So stop acting cute. Fuck, you’re so damn cute….”
“I was just looking at you, so where exactly is the ‘acting cute’ part?”
“I don’t know. I’m going crazy too, seriously.”
After pressing his lips one last time onto the beak of the 195cm chick obediently nestled in his arms, Je-rim patted his reddened cheeks and dragged Aaron out. Even as he was dragged by Je-rim’s hand toward the hotel’s back gate, the meeting spot, Aaron continued to act cute.
“I feel so good. Because we don’t have to be apart for long this time….”
“I’m on a flight tomorrow dawn, so we won’t see each other’s faces for at least a day?”
“I can endure that much.”
What did this guy, who said he’d go crazy if he couldn’t see him for just an hour, just say? Je-rim’s eyes sharpened instantly.
“…What. Why did your patience suddenly increase? Or are you saying it’s fine because you’ll be having a blast with your national team teammates while I’m gone?”
“No way. I’m saying I can endure it because it’s a short time compared to two weeks. More importantly, Je-rim, make that face again. You looked so fierce—ugh!”
He had just poked his boyfriend’s side with his elbow, as the man had inevitably invited a beating at the end. Manager Louis, who had been waiting after getting off the bus, approached Aaron and Je-rim with his arms wide open.
“Still getting along well? Aaron, Jerry, my best students.”
“Manager Louis!”
As Je-rim quickly pushed Aaron away, Aaron also straightened his posture. Je-rim waited until Aaron and Manager Louis exchanged hugs and greetings, then requested a handshake from his former teacher with a smile full of warmth.
“Congratulations on your appointment. I wonder how many years it’s been since I last saw you…. But you haven’t aged a bit!”
“You’re still the same, still the same. Thanks for the congratulations. By the way, did you follow Aaron to see him off?”
“Aw, of course I came to say hello to you, Manager. The captain commanding the Invincible Armada, you’re wonderful.”
As he was flattering him with a grin so that he wouldn’t scold the late Aaron, the bus windows slid open all at once. Beyond them, voices calling out “Aaron, Jerry!” could be heard. Some guys even stuck their faces out the window and waved.
Since about half of the Spanish National Team members were close with Je-rim, it was natural for them to react so welcomingly. During his Tavarona youth days, he had frequently encountered peers who would eventually be called up to the Spanish National Team. There were also many players he had become close with while playing as a pro for over ten years.
To return the greetings, Je-rim flicked two fingers with an arrogant expression. Then, “Boo!”, jeers poured out like mushrooms, reminiscent of when they were winning at the opposing team’s home. Aaron glared, pointing out two or three guys who were jeering particularly loudly.
Witnessing that playful scene, Manager Louis nodded as if he understood.
“Come to think of it, most of you must be acquainted.”
“I guess so.”
“Hmm…. Is Jerry going to Korea today too?”
“No. There were no direct flights from Madrid to Korea today.”
When he answered that he planned to go to Sefton first to attend the parade and then leave on a flight tomorrow dawn, Manager Louis rubbed his chin as if hesitating over something. Taking advantage of that gap, Aaron put his arm around Je-rim’s shoulder and whispered.
“If Marshall’s butt appears on the big screen, make sure to film it and send it to me.”
“Trust me.”
“Make sure to leave me a message before you board the plane, don’t drink just because I’m not there, and absolutely, absolutely do not take your shirt off during the parade….”
Ugh, the nagging. Just shut up and go safely, he was about to reply, but Manager Louis, who had been silent for a moment, beat him to it. The words that came from his former teacher’s mouth were truly out of left field.
“Instead of that, why don’t you just take our private jet and go together? Your destination is the same anyway.”
“What?”
Immediately after, the same sound burst simultaneously from the mouths of the wide-eyed Je-rim and Aaron.
* * *
I think the Spanish NT took the plane to Korea
(Photo)
But there seems to be a person there who shouldn’t be… is it just my imagination?
⤷ That’s Jerry next to Aaron, right? Not a doppelganger? That’s our Great Man, right?
⤷ No, fuck, Ban Je-rim-ssi?
On what authority did he squeeze into another country’s national team private jet?
Ban Je-rim-ssi, please explain yourself;;
⤷ Authority of the captain’s boyfriend
⤷⤷ Lmao and the authority of the manager’s student
⤷⤷ For real?? Je-rim is the teacher?
⤷⤷ Yeah, he was the manager during the Tavarona youth days
Foreign country manager: Since you’re going to Korea anyway, just take our private jet and go together comfortably
Normal person: Oh, how could I do that haha I’m a member of the South Korean National Team
Ban Je-rim: Really? Yay, Vamos!!!! (trotting along to squeeze in between another country’s NT)
⤷ Lmao someone please catch that mouse…
⤷ Our mouse is already coming on his own feet
The Spanish NT official account is hilarious too
They say they’ll deliver the South Korean ace safely to the local destination, honestly
⤷ You crazy bastards, if there’s a scratch, I’m returning him
⤷⤷ Why return him fuck, how precious is Jerry
⤷⤷ We should claim damages, the compensation item should be Aaron^^
I coveted the Spanish Great Man so much
Regarding the case where our country’s Great Man defected to Spain
⤷ Greed karma
⤷Damn, I won’t be greedy anymore, so please give our national treasure back.
⤷⤷You’re being greedy in the post right above this one;
⤷I said I was sorry… Please come back, Ban Je-rim…
⤷⤷I’m telling you, Ban Je-rim is on his way back to Korea right now??
⤷Are you planning to abandon your country because you’re crazy in love, Ban Je-rim?
Fuck, I seriously
thought Je-rim-ssi had made a choice…
thought he chose to get married and naturalize…
⤷Me tooㅋㅋㅋ I was in “here it comes” modeㅎ
⤷Who did he marry…
⤷⤷Who else,, the captain over there,,
⤷Such an inappropriately open mindㅜ
Was the plane ticket really that expensive?
The man whose weekly wage jumped after renewing his contractㅂㄷㅂㄷ
⤷Our Jerry, who is shameless, despicable, and a cheapskate,,
⤷He’s just trying to come back comfortably and he’s hearing all this
⤷⤷Isn’t this just a description of Je-rim’s usual behavior？
Even if he’s shameless, despicable, and a cheapskate,
can he still be a national treasure？
⤷As long as he’s as good at football as Ban Je-rim, it’s ok.
⤷Thank god, Je-rim-ah, at least you’re good at footballㅠㅠ
I mean, even if the manager told him to hitch a ride, still
Isn’t it awkward？ Being all alone among those Spanish guys
⤷Most of them are already Je-rim’s friends or Sunbae/Hubae anyway
⤷Honestly, the Korean National Team is basically a Tavarona alumni associationㅋㅋㅋ It’ll probably feel cozy
⤷I heard they’re all singing Uptown Funk together
⤷⤷Really？？
⤷⤷It’s a lie
Since we’re on the subject, let’s rewatch Je-rim’s initiation video
The lyrics are just so Ban Je-rimㅠㅋㅋㅋ
⤷I’m so hot, so call the fire department, you punks
⤷Fuckㅋㅋㅋ
I seriously want to ask how a 21-year-old who just transferred
thought of singing a song like that in front of starting Sunbaes at a Big Club like Sefton
⤷He just set the club record, so it’s fair enough to sing it
⤷⤷True. Newum is still living off the legacy Ban Je-rim left behind.. He’s a savior..
⤷It’s not for nothing that Newum fans are still commenting “He is a savior ” on Je-rim’s Insta
⤷Back then, Sefton, Molden, and even Tavarona all joined the fray to get Je-rim. It was literally a war of the stars
⤷The transfer saga that made those lyrics totally possible
⤷⤷⤷Tavarona, those fuckers, they’re the ones who dumped him, did their conscience just vanish?
Didn’t he have an initiation when he joined Newum？
Why is there no video? Is it because it was too long ago?
⤷I think he mentioned in passing that he sang “A Private First Class’s Letter”
⤷⤷True, he said he wasn’t in the mood to sing but they kept making him do it, so he was annoyedㅋㅋㅋ
⤷What the fuck, a high schooler singing “A Private First Class’s Letter” as an initiation song in Englandㅋㅋㅋ
⤷Jerry… did something hard happen when he was 18…ㅋㅋㅋ Like that World Cup mistake…
But if Je-rim is coming back early too,
will neither Jerry nor Aaron be at the Sefton parade？
⤷Probably, right？ Last year’s parade was huge, but this year…
⤷It’s not even a Treble this time, so whatever
⤷Did these bastards leave the Treble on a reservation？
⤷Wow, why are these Sefton bastards so obnoxious？
⤷Kaaah spit
Did they not kiss because it wasn’t a Treble?
I was expecting a Jeron kiss this time tooㅠ
⤷After the teasing they got last year, are they crazy enough to do it againㅋㅋㅋ
⤷Instead, Marshall showed his ass this time
⤷Our Sefton FC always shows us something
They really show everything
(Link)
A video was uploaded to Sefton’s official account of the players dancing and singing Jeron’s chant together in the locker room
⤷Wow, everyone’s bodies are so…
⤷Popping champagne and roaring, they look so hyped
⤷Is this right after the final？ The atmosphere is so greatㅠㅠ
⤷⤷Seeing Marshall looking completely drained, it must be right afterㅎ
⤷ㅋㅋ Everyone took off their shirts, but only Marshall took off his pants
Geez, Sefton, why don’t you win the FA Cup too?
I wanted to see Tavarona and Molden go crazy seeing a consecutive Treble
⤷Tsk,, you have to have a kind heart for blessings to come
⤷⤷Looking at Je-rim or Aaron, they win even without having a kind heart？
⤷⤷ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
You need a kind heart to achieve a Treble
Good deed football theoryㄷㄷ
⤷Don’t you know about karma？ All karma returns
⤷⤷This is true… That’s why Tavarona, who dumped Je-rim, is heading to the Europa League nowㅜㅁㅜ
⤷⤷Don’t ignore Tavarona, they still won the Europa League splendidly
⤷⤷So now they lift the Europa Cup instead of the Big Ear？ Cool b
⤷These fucking bastards seriously
⤷What kind of war were the Molden fans fighting with these pieces of shit
⤷⤷These bastards became so arrogant after the Treble. They weren’t this bad before, fuck;
⤷⤷Because they’re “Oh-Sefton-ga” (Oh, Sefton’s gone/great)
Enjoy it while it lasts, you fuckers
We were like that when we had Aaron too？ It was just natural to lift either the Big Ear or the league trophyㅎㅎ
Let’s see how long you guys last
⤷I guess this person didn’t see the interview where Aaron said he’d retire at Sefton
⤷⤷Shh,, he’s already sensitive enough as it is
⤷Then you should have tried a Treble during that “natural” periodㅜㅜㅜ
⤷⤷They say it’s because they didn’t have a kind heartㄷㄷ
⤷⤷Ah, understoodㅋ So this is what it means to have a kind heart!
I have a feeling
I heard the first few days of the Korean National Team are free schedule, so Je-rim will probably join in and have a blast,,
⤷Is this man really going to run wild just because he’s not the captain of the National Team？
⤷That’s it, let’s strip him of his national treasure status
⤷⤷Then won’t he really just follow his husband and leave？ㅜㅜ
⤷⤷With Ban Je-rim’s personality, surely he’s not that crazy in love…
⤷Jerry-ya, even if you marry the Spanish captain, you’ll play matches for Korea, right？？ I believe in you
✲✲✲
“Based on your current schedule, you’re burning through your stamina and wasting time. You’re flying too often in a short period.”
“That’s true, but still….”
“You’re not that young anymore, so you have to manage yourself thoroughly, Jerry. It’s common for Asian and South American players to ruin their bodies because of flight times.”
Unable to resist his former teacher’s sincere concern, Je-rim eventually accepted his proposal to go together. As a result, a boisterous atmosphere continued from the bus to the Madrid airport and even on the plane.
Mateo, with whom he had various conflicts in the past, was included in the Spanish national team, but it was fine. They were past the age of fighting childishly like when they were kids. They exchanged greetings quite plainly.
“Hey, what’s going on？ Is Spain that short on talent?”
“Your shitty way of talking is still the same, Bunny.”
“Bunny, my ass, you ungrateful prick. You should be thanking me. If I had naturalized to Spain back then, do you think you’d even be on the national team list now?”
“Why does this guy never fail to piss me off？ Where do you professionally learn how to grate on people’s nerves?”
A small commotion almost broke out because of the narrow-minded guy who took a joke seriously, but it was quickly settled by Aaron’s mediation.
“Mateo, shut up. Don’t pick a fight with the guest.”
“Look, Captain. Are you blind？ Anyone can see that prick started it!”
“When did Je-rim？ In my eyes, you’ve always been the problem, then and now.”
“…I’m reflecting on the things from when we were kids. I’m not like that anymore! And right now, he clearly started it…!”
Je-rim, who had snagged the seat next to Aaron, raised his fist toward Mateo, who was driven crazy by the unfairness, and gave a spitefully smug smile. With the most reliable shield, the captain, giving him biased judgments right next to him, he had nothing to fear.
Still, after the commotion, he had a smooth, albeit grumbling, conversation with Mateo. Perhaps because much time had passed, he didn’t feel the urge to smack him just by looking at his face like he used to. Every time he called him Bunny, Mateo kicked the back of his seat with all his might, so the form of address was naturally corrected.
Meanwhile, Jose, who had never once been able to exchange uniforms with Je-rim due to Aaron’s pressure, was burning with determination. It was evident he calculated that the national team uniform was rarer than the club uniform.
“Jerry, let’s really exchange uniforms this time.”
“No. It’s already spoken for.”
“I know you’ll obviously exchange with Aaron. But you still have one left.”
“I decided to give the other one to Reman.”
“He’s German! Why are you exchanging with a guy who doesn’t even play matches？”
That’s because the season Reman is spending at Sefton is his last this summer.
Since it was confidential, he couldn’t reveal it. After Reman reached a secret agreement with the club, he only told Je-rim and Aaron, so few among their teammates knew.
‘I’m planning to go back to Germany after this season… as per your advice, Aaron. So, about that…’
While revealing the transfer, Reman had hesitantly checked Aaron’s reaction and asked for Je-rim’s national team jersey.
Since it was the youngest’s final request, Je-rim readily agreed. Even Aaron, though he snorted and called him a cheeky brat, didn’t show any dislike.
‘Give it if you want. It seems he’s firmly made up his mind anyway.’
‘You’re really not going to make a fuss？’
‘I won’t. He came this far because he respects you, so he’d want to take at least one final memento. As a fellow player, I fully understand that much.’
‘I guess. I also asked Glenn to send me the last uniform he wore, so…’
‘…This is the first I’ve heard of that？ What？ I’m way more concerned about that than Reman!’
‘Glenn is retiring this time! You understand Reman, so why can’t you understand me？’
‘I’ve been driven crazy since long ago, worrying about that man and someone named Anna!’
‘No, why the hell are you keeping tabs on a couple？ Aren’t you busy enough living like that？’
Although there was a minor argument over a problem other than Reman…
Anyway, it was just as he was refusing Jose, telling him to be quick and claim it first if he felt it was unfair, when an arm stretched across the seats and tapped Je-rim’s shoulder.
“Um, then could I at least have the shorts…?”
“Huh？”
Je-rim turned around and confirmed the other person’s face. Other than facing him once or twice as an opponent in matches, he had never met him in person, but he knew him well.
Daniel Carrasco, a member of Tavarona FC and the youngest of the Spanish national team. Since he played the same position as Je-rim and was famous for making a huge mistake in the Euro quarter-finals the year before last, it was impossible not to know him.
When he had only seen the video clip of him collapsing as if he’d lost his country at the spot of the mistake, he hadn’t expected it, but he seemed to be quite bold. Seeing how he targeted the niche market of “shorts” after seeing a Sunbae get rejected for a uniform exchange right in front of him.
Aaron seemed to share a similar sentiment, as he chuckled.
“There’s a line of competitors in front of you, Daniel. Are you going to try and compete with your Sunbaes？”
At that, Daniel’s face turned pale. The way he hurriedly made excuses, saying it was absolutely not that, was cute and pitiful. Je-rim found it a bit strange how uncomfortable and intimidated he must be of Captain Aaron to turn so pale at a simple joke. At Sefton, everyone was always dying to tease the captain.
Moreover, hadn’t Aaron publicly defended him when he made the mistake in the Euro？ From Daniel’s perspective, he should be a Sunbae to admire deeply, so why was he sweating so much? Je-rim asked Aaron in a low voice about the unfamiliar reaction.
“Why is your youngest so scared of you？”
“I scolded him pretty harshly when he made that mistake in the Euro. He’s been like that since.”
“Uh… I thought you defended him？”
“Publicly, yes. I couldn’t make the youngest a punching bag.”
Aaron continued, frowning slightly.
“But it’s also true that it was a stupid mistake. Still, in terms of raw talent, he’s quite decent.”
“Hmm, really？”
“I think if he’s raised well, he could become something like Reman. Though Reman’s ceiling is probably higher.”
Aaron coldly gauged potential, treating people like game characters that could be leveled up. All while operating on the basic premise that he himself was so far above them that he wasn’t even in the comparison.
He knew Aaron was a lover he wouldn’t mind putting in his own eyes and that he had many serious sides, but at times like this, he was still truly obnoxious.
“Are your Hubaes Pokemon to you？ That’s why kids avoid you, because you act so obnoxious.”
“That’s unfair. I do my best to take care of them in my own way.”
Contrary to his regretful tone, he shrugged playfully. Aaron whispered, gesturing with his eyes toward the space behind where Daniel was sitting.
“Why don’t you give him a pair of shorts. He considers you his idol. Though I doubt there’s any attacking midfielder in this era who doesn’t.”
“What a surprise. The guy who glares at opponents like he wants to kill them whenever I exchange uniforms.”
“Well, he’s a cute Hubae. I told you it was fine to give one to Reman. I’m truly generous to my Hubaes.”
There’s no better Sunbae than this. Aaron’s self-praising words no longer entered his ears. Je-rim stared intently at Aaron.
…He really does find him cute？
It was honestly quite surprising that he defended a teammate who made a huge mistake by committing a reckless foul in the penalty zone, getting a red card and giving away a PK, but for a guy who was jealous of even a stray dog or a yacht to casually tell him to give away shorts…
The moment a petty thought flashed through his mind, Je-rim gave Mateo’s chair a heavy kick.
“Ack! What the hell, seriously!”
“Nothing, the seat’s just a bit narrow.”
“You’re hitching a ride on another country’s private jet and you’re still chatting away… Aaron, why you too!”
Watching Aaron punish Mateo in his stead, Je-rim quickly regained his composure. Since Aaron found even Reman, who had been a romantic rival in a way, cute, it was natural for him to cherish Daniel, his direct Hubae.
Daniel was also a rookie who had been raised with great care at Tavarona since his youth and successfully signed a pro contract, just like Aaron. He even shared the nickname “Tavarona’s Prospect” with Aaron, and on top of that, he was the youngest.
The youngest ones are so cute. Since Je-rim himself had a history of living for the pleasure of teasing Reman for a while, it was fully understandable that Aaron was particularly mischievous yet fond of his Hubaes. He shook his head to clear the petty distractions and resumed the conversation.
With Aaron, Jose, Mateo, and other Sunbaes and Hubaes joining in, a sense of nostalgia arose, as if they had returned to their youth. Since they were gathered after a long time with people who shared the most intense and immature past of their lives, the topics were predictable. Old memories, stories about mutual acquaintances, recent updates, and so on.
That was exactly the problem.
“Oh, Jerry. Tiana asked me to tell you she’s sorry. She said thinking back on it now, the way she broke up with you seemed rude.”
At that trivial piece of news from Mateo’s mouth, the expressions of Je-rim and Aaron froze simultaneously. Jose, who didn’t notice the strange current, asked back.
“Tiana？ Who’s that？”
“My sister-in-law, she said she dated this prick for a bit. They’re probably school alumni. Right？”
The last sentence was seeking an answer from Je-rim and Aaron, but neither of them opened their mouth.
Je-rim glanced at Aaron’s face. It would be great if he couldn’t remember the name Tiana, but there was no way this man with the terrifyingly good memory would do that.
Aaron was already staring at Je-rim with eyes flashing fiercely, as if he were about to kill someone. Naturally, the sinner avoided eye contact.
“But from my perspective, you’re really just you. Even if the other side asked for time to think, you really didn’t contact her at all until the end？ I heard you didn’t even ask why？ You’re truly the worst… Gwah!”
Before more nonsense could follow, he quickly kicked the back of Mateo’s chair again. But everything was already fucked.
Mateo had thrown bait to a man who, whenever he got the chance, would persistently dig into who the Spanish person he had dated other than himself was. And of all things, it wasn’t someone Aaron didn’t know, but a school alumnus…
Of course, it was someone he met long after breaking up with Aaron. But regardless of the timing, it was obvious Aaron would be displeased by the fact that he dated a friend they both knew, so he had tried to hide it until the end. But that useless piece of shit had finally caused a scene.
“Ah, alumni, right. Interesting. So Je-rim dated Tiana….”
The end of Aaron’s drawn-out sentence was thick with disapproval. “Interesting” my ass, his face showed he didn’t find it a bit funny. It seemed his self-praise about being generous didn’t apply at this moment.
‘…I’m screwed.’
Je-rim’s jealous boyfriend became thoroughly sulky and didn’t say a single word to him until they arrived in Korea.