Chapter 105
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 105
Chapter Title: The Best Gift, Park Si-hyun
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"We have always imposed harsh sanctions on players who harm spectators. The reason is that soccer is a professional sport at its core, and a player posing a threat to fans carries massive risk. That said, we do recognize Park Si-hyun's position to some degree. If it hadn't been a flare but some other dangerous object, he could've suffered severe injuries. With that in mind, we're planning to introduce a new rule on this matter—one that players and spectators must strictly follow. After discussions, we've decided to accept the German Football Association's initial ruling of a 3-match suspension. Even so, physically threatening a spectator was undeniably wrong."
In the end, FIFA set aside their long-standing policy of "fan-related incidents = automatic heavy punishment" and accepted the German Football Association's 3-match suspension as is.
At the same time, they officially announced plans to create new rules that fans, not just players, would have to follow.
Any organization grows conservative with age, and FIFA was no exception—honestly, they were pretty stagnant.
Which made this decision anything but easy.
Inside FIFA, voices were loud about crushing Park Si-hyun's momentum now, before it was too late.
After the U.S. incident, he'd already rubbed the higher-ups the wrong way. This was their chance to put him in his place.
The justification was ironclad.
No matter the reason, a player laying hands on a fan was an absolute taboo under FIFA rules.
But Richard Klein knew better.
He had to consider not just FIFA's face, but the bigger picture of world soccer.
Using this as a chance to regulate both "player protection" and "fan oversteps" would foster a cleaner fan culture in the long run—benefiting soccer as a whole.
In the end, he leaned toward Si-hyun's side.
...The problem? People had already lost interest in the whole affair.
From Klein's perspective, he'd braced for heavy criticism by even suggesting rules for fans, only for the public's gaze to shift elsewhere entirely.
So are they actually dating or what?
Same school, went to the World Cup final in person, pics show her cheering for Korea? Plus, Si-hyun was the only soccer player at her concert. Kinda hard to deny at this point lol.
Whoa... A teen Billboard chart-topper princess candidate and Park Si-hyun, the future soccer king? This is getting juicy.
Lol when did Lisa Schmidt become the 'next queen' of Billboard? Isn't it just daddy's clout?
Andreas Schmidt is the 'Billboard Emperor' with 10+ No.1s, and Lisa's his daughter who inherited the talent. Queen status is just a matter of time—and soccer emperor Park Si-hyun will be at her side.
Faces don't quite match IMO, but the titles? Insane lol.
Beast and princess vibe—works for me.
Watching these reactions on his monitor, Richard Klein muttered in disbelief.
"What the... They were ripping us apart just days ago, and now zero interest in our announcement? Do they know how much guts it took to make this call?"
His aide cautiously chimed in from the side.
"Ahem... Well, nothing's as juicy as a dating scandal..."
"Quiet."
"...Yes, sir."
Klein let out a deep sigh and slammed his documents shut.
He knew full well how crowds ignited over one thing, then ditched it for the next hot topic. Still, this felt forgotten way too fast—from his view, anyway.
"...Whatever. Let's draft those new rules ASAP. If we drag our feet, we'll catch flak for that next."
As he stood and grumbled, his aide hurried after him.
'Man, the stress is real these days... That bald spot's getting obvious.'
Under the fluorescent lights, from certain angles, Richard Klein's crown was quietly, unmistakably turning into a gleaming reflector.
One place even more headache-inducing than FIFA: Lisa Schmidt's agency, Etal Klan Productions, scrambling to contain the sudden dating firestorm.
"So... you're not dating yet, right?"
President Klaus Hartmann's question made Lisa Schmidt bite her lip, hemming and hawing before finally speaking up.
"Not dating yet... but I don't dislike him either... though saying I like him outright feels... iffy..."
Her voice trailed off softer and softer. Watching her, Klaus quietly confirmed it.
'Whether Si-hyun sees her as a friend or the real deal—that's tomorrow's problem. Point is, Lisa's already into him.'
He'd watched her grow up; if she disliked someone, she'd flatly say "nope." Especially guys.
Her current vagueness said it all.
"Sigh... Got it. We'll announce 'no relationship' for now."
Klaus exhaled deeply and continued.
"But if it turns real, tell me first. You know why."
A lot of Koreans think K-pop stars lose fans over dating, while foreign pop stars get a pass.
Partly true. But every country, every scene has fans who hate their idol dating.
Few or many, it hits the image.
The Korean difference? No "no-dating" clauses in contracts.
Instead, disclose early so the agency can shield you.
Klaus was mid-thought, about to finalize the press release, when the door flew open with a knock.
A frantic secretary burst in.
"P-President... This is..."
"Calm down. I'm not gonna eat you—breathe and speak."
"We... might not need to do damage control."
"Huh? Si-hyun's side beat us to it? Show me."
Instead of words, the secretary thrust out her phone.
A fresh interview line blazed on screen.
"The dating rumors with Lisa Schmidt aren't true. That said, I did confess to her. Haven't gotten an answer yet, but I'll keep at it until I do—and give Lisa the ultimate gift: 'Park Si-hyun' himself. She's the kind of woman who saved a nation in a past life."
Klaus stared at the screen, then dropped one crystal-clear line.
"...What a madman."
"Hey, why the stare?"
"Oh, n-nothing, hyung."
Charlie Adam's look irked me at training.
Actually, every guy here had weird eyes today.
Kaká's sparkling like he met his guru, staring only at me. Philipp Lahm's eyeing me like some alien specimen under a microscope.
What the hell?
The girl about to receive the ultimate gift, Park Si-hyun? She's nation-saving material, fact.
So why the side-eye?
I ignored the impure gazes and focused on training.
Suspension means no matches, not no practice.
Passes, shots, tactics—all good. But prickly stares kept jabbing from the side.
I turned, and Charlie, after deep thought, spoke up.
"Hyung, could you... teach me one of those killer lines too?"
"What?"
"I like this girl... wanna give her 'me' as a gift. But you snagged 'ultimate gift' already. Need a different confession line."
Oh right—Charlie Adam, the romantic who marries young in 2009.
"Dude, we're the same age. Drop the formal talk. I permit it."
Charlie's eyes bulged; he flailed wildly.
"No way I talk casual to you, hyung! That's insane!"
"It's sane, so do it."
"How does that face... Gah!"
Yeah, you can't train animals overnight.
Have to rewire the brain.
I inhaled deep, exhaled slow, and said:
"...Even so, you're in no position to say that."
Then hands moved faster than words.
Thwack. Thwack. Thwack.
That day at Rot-Weiss Essen's training ground, unidentified beatdown sounds and bizarre screams echoed for a good while, or so they say.
"Kweeeek!!"