The Day Before the Battle
With tomorrow's home match against Gangwon Ocean FC looming, the entire Suwon Blue Sky squad gathered in the club's meeting room.
A massive screen dominated the front wall of the spacious room, and behind it, comfortable chairs for the players were arranged in rising, stadium-style tiers.
So this is where they hold tactical briefings.
While the players chatted among themselves in their seats, Manager Kim Seongcheol and his coaching staff stepped forward.
Taking hold of the microphone, the manager spoke with a far graver, more grimly determined expression than usual.
"Right, is everyone here? As you all know, tomorrow is our home match against Gangwon."
"······."
"And this is a match we absolutely must win."
At the manager's firm words, a current of tension ran through the players.
"It's embarrassing to admit as your manager, but you all know how dangerous our position in the table is right now. You remember just how hard we fought last season to win promotion from the second division back into League 1. And now, halfway through the season... if we keep losing from here, we could be relegated right back down."
The players' expressions turned sober. The string of recent defeats, the pressure of sliding toward the relegation zone if things didn't change — a heavy atmosphere hung over the entire team.
"So we win tomorrow's match, no matter what, and we break this cursed losing streak once and for all. We have nowhere left to retreat. Am I understood!"
"Yes, sir!"
The players' answer rang out through the room. The manager looked at Cha Kangmin seated in the front row.
"And with our captain Kangmin back from injury, I trust he'll now fix, once and for all, the holes we've had in defense!"
Every eye in the room turned to Cha Kangmin.
"Leave it to me, Coach!"
At Cha Kangmin's brimming confidence, laughter rippled through the squad, followed by a round of applause.
The return of Cha Kangmin — the team's leader and its spiritual pillar — was certain to be a tremendous boost.
The manager continued.
"We also have a new face joining the squad. I don't believe in withholding chances from a rookie just because he lacks experience, and I equally don't believe in handing out starts just because someone's been here a long time. Everything gets proven on ability alone. I expect every one of you to grow through healthy, honest competition with each other."
The players nodded.
"Everyone clear on that!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Good. Then let's begin the detailed tactical briefing for tomorrow's match. Head Coach — ready?"
"Yes, Manager."
The head coach stepped up and began pulling up footage of Gangwon FC's recent matches and analysis materials onto the screen.
The briefing went on in detail — the opposition's key players, their expected formation, attacking patterns, defensive vulnerabilities.
Once the hour-long tactical briefing and Q&A wrapped up, the manager offered his final words of encouragement.
"Tomorrow's match matters — truly. Rest well tonight, everyone, and let's meet at the stadium in peak condition. We win. Period!"
"Yes, sir!"
As the meeting broke up, the players rose one by one and began filing out of the room. Hanbin was getting up from his seat too when Kwon Yeongdae, sitting beside him, struck up a conversation.
He was the midfielder who had been the very first to approach Hanbin and speak to him at that earlier training session.
"Hey, Hanbin!"
"Huh? Oh — Yeongdae hyung."
"You know you're blowing up on Kangmin hyung's YouTube channel right now?"
Yeongdae grinned as he held out his phone screen.
"Sorry — YouTube?"
Kim Hanbin tilted his head at the completely unexpected news. He hadn't imagined that the footage Cha Kangmin had shot with his action cam in the weight room a few days ago would already be edited and uploaded.
And it's blowing up?
Kwon Yeongdae grinned at the look on Hanbin's face.
"Wow, you seriously have no clue, do you? Last night a video went up on Kangmin hyung's channel titled 'Is Suwon's Rookie Monster's Physique Actually Real? We Measured His 3-Lift 700kg Live Whoa' — and the views are skyrocketing. The comment section is a total war zone!"
"It what?"
Yeongdae pulled out his phone and navigated to Cha Kangmin's channel, scrolling until he found the video and held it up for Hanbin to see.
The thumbnail showed Cha Kangmin wearing the trademark exaggerated YouTube shock-face in front of a barbell loaded with plates, with Hanbin standing awkwardly beside him.
"Look, look. I'm telling you, the comments are insane right now."
As Yeongdae scrolled down, an endless stream of comments appeared.
Kim Hanbin stared at the screen with a complicated expression.
"Wow... it really is a war zone in there."
"Right? The channel's been in a slump lately, but thanks to you it's headed straight for the moon. You might get famous on YouTube before you even play a match."
Yeongdae said it laughing. Kim Hanbin forced a wry smile. Fame was fine — but this felt less like being known as a footballer who played well and more like being known as a footballer who lifted heavy things.
Then I'll just have to show them on the pitch.
"Hey! Kim Hanbin!"
A familiar voice called out suddenly from behind. He turned to find Cha Kangmin approaching with his trademark sly grin.
"Hanbin!! Signing you was the best decision this club ever made! Thank you, my man!"
Cha Kangmin threw an arm around Kim Hanbin's shoulders. Hanbin gave him a look of mild disbelief.
"Uh, hyung? I joined a football club to play football, not to shoot YouTube videos."
"Hahaha! Come on, you rascal! Ever heard of killing two birds with one stone? Two birds, one stone! You play football, my channel gets its groove back — that's a win-win if I've ever seen one! Hahaha!"
Cha Kangmin kept bursting into laughter as if nothing in the world could be funnier.
"Anyway, listen... after tomorrow's match, I'm treating you to some hanwoo beef. On me. You know that famous galbi joint in Suwon, right?"
"A galbi place? Hanwoo...?"
Kim Hanbin's eyes widened slightly.
"Um... actually, I don't really know it—"
Before Hanbin could finish, Cha Kangmin slung his arm properly around his shoulders and pressed on.
"Right! And the owner there is a Suwon supporter too! So I'm taking you there myself and stuffing you full of top-grade hanwoo!"
At that, Kwon Yeongdae, listening nearby, perked his ears right up.
"Hey! Kangmin hyung! Me too! I want hanwoo too...!"
When Yeongdae cut in with hopeful eyes, Cha Kangmin shook his head firmly.
"Nope. Not you."
"What, why not! Where's the team captain being this petty, huh?!"
Yeongdae wailed in protest. Cha Kangmin answered with an infuriating grin.
"Back off, rascal. The hanwoo I'm buying Hanbin comes out of my YouTube production support budget. Call it an appearance fee. You want in? Then show up on my channel and pull 300,000 views like Hanbin did. Fine, 100,000. Hit that once, and I'll buy you hanwoo too."
"Oh come ON, that's so unfair!"
"Unfair, my foot. Didn't your salary get a nice bump this year? Buy your own beef, rascal."
Cha Kangmin teased Yeongdae and burst into good-natured laughter.
At last, the day of battle dawned. Between the excitement and the nerves he'd barely slept, yet his body felt light as a feather.
After a light breakfast, the squad boarded the team bus and headed for their home ground, Suwon World Cup Stadium.
Before long, the bus rolled to a stop in front of the stadium. The players began filing off one by one, and I followed them down the steps.
We were walking toward the players' tunnel entrance when, from the direction of the players-only parking lot, a raucous engine roar announced the arrival of a gleaming red sports car that screeched to a halt.
Whose car is that?
A moment later the driver's door swung open and a man stepped out. Bronzed skin, a flashy training kit in eye-searing colors — the kind of flamboyant style that made him South American at a glance.
He was our team's other foreign attacker.
Ah, that would be... Enzo, was it?
Enzo Pereira. The Brazilian attacker signed with great fanfare by Suwon Blue Sky this season, alongside Antonio. Word was he mostly played right winger.
He hadn't drawn quite the hype Antonio had, but he'd arrived carrying considerable expectations of his own.
I hadn't seen him at earlier training — he'd been resting a minor muscle strain — so this was my first time laying eyes on him.
Enzo's lifestyle was a little odd. The moment his signing bonus landed, he'd bought a screamingly expensive sports car and paraded it everywhere. Yet the place he actually lived was a one-room monthly rental downtown.
A textbook foreigner car-poor case.
Wasn't it supposed to be because of woman trouble that he doesn't stay at the team dorm?
Skipping the club-provided room and board of the team lodging to rent his own place — and a one-room rental at that — there was no reason for it, the players figured, unless it was about women.
I was mulling all this over, watching him, when Enzo, walking toward us, met my eyes. And then he came straight over.
Smiling with that distinctive accent of his, Enzo addressed me.
"Hello there!"
Brazilian players usually spoke Portuguese, but it shared enough with Spanish that communication was at least partially possible — or so I'd heard. And I had studied Spanish quite seriously back in that time-stopped stadium.
I answered naturally in Spanish.
"¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás? (Hey! How's it going?)"
The moment fluent Spanish left my mouth, Enzo's eyes went round as saucers. Clearly not expecting it at all, he looked me up and down in astonishment.
"¡Hostia! ¿Tú hablas español? (Whoa! You speak Spanish?)"
Enzo's voice jumped an octave.
"Sí, un poco. Estudié por mi cuenta. (Yeah, a little. Taught myself.)"
I answered with a shrug. I'd said "a little," but honestly, I could manage everyday conversation, football terminology, even simple tactical talk.
Enzo seemed even more delighted by my answer, and started pouring out Spanish.
"¡Increíble! ¡Increíble! ¡Finalmente alguien con quien puedo hablar en serio en este equipo! (Amazing! Amazing! Finally someone on this team I can actually talk to properly!)"
Enzo spoke animatedly, complete with exaggerated gestures.
"Me llamo Enzo. Enzo Pereira. Encantado de conocerte. (I'm Enzo. Enzo Pereira. Great to meet you.)"
Enzo beamed and stuck out his hand.
"Yo soy Kim Hanbin. Igualmente. (I'm Kim Hanbin. Likewise.)"
I took his hand and shook it. He seemed like a far more approachable, cheerful guy than I'd imagined.
Hearing my name, Enzo thought for a moment, then clapped his hands together as something clicked.
"Ah~ ¿tú eres el nuevo delantero del que todos hablan? ¿El que dicen que tiene un disparo que no es broma? (Ah~ you're the rookie striker everyone's been talking about? The one with the ridiculous shot, right?)"
Enzo stared at me with eyes full of curiosity.
"Bueno, algo así. Supongo que lo verás en el campo. (Well, something like that. You'll see on the pitch, I guess.)"
I answered with an easy smile. Enzo looked even more intrigued.
"¡Joder, qué emoción! ¡Ya quiero ver cómo juegas! (Hell yes, that's exciting! I can't wait to watch you play!)"
After that brief exchange, Enzo and I parted ways, and the hyungs who'd been standing behind us crowded in with questions.
"Whoa, Hanbin. You speak Brazilian too?"
"No, not Brazilian — just some Spanish."
"Isn't that the same thing?"
"You absolute dingus. Portuguese is Brazil's official language, and Spanish is just, you know, similar! Similar! The South American kids kind of get the gist!"
Another senior behind us smacked the head of the one who'd asked. Laughter burst out among the players all over again.
Just then, Cha Kangmin clapped his hands to bring the chatter to order.
"Okay, okay, that's enough! Hanbin, let's go. No time. We've got to get into the locker room and get ready. This is your first time at Suwon World Cup Stadium, right?"
Kangmin hyung slung his arm around my shoulder and asked.
"Yes, hyung. First time. I've only ever seen it on TV."
"Is that so? Stick with me, then. Don't get lost."
Kangmin hyung said it jokingly and led the way toward the players-only tunnel.
Through the tunnel, Suwon World Cup Stadium finally revealed itself — and the interior was vastly bigger and more majestic than I had imagined.
The pitch spread out in a carpet of blue-green grass, ringed by towering stands. Even with the crowd yet to be let in, the sheer weight of the place pressed down on everything.
Whoa... so this is a real K League 1 stadium.
Just thinking about playing here, in front of thousands of spectators, sent a thrill down every nerve in my body.
"What do you think? Killer, right?"
Kangmin hyung must have read my expression; he glanced back with a grin.
"Yeah... it's... really something."
"YOU Suwon BASTARDS, JUST DISBAND THE TEAM ALREADY!!!"
One of the supporters screamed out a double barrel of curses.