Chapter 107
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 107
Chapter Title: If You're With Park Si-hyun, This Is Everyday Life
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Thump! Thump! Thump!
This wasn't a sound I was making with my mouth.
No, my heart was really pounding like that.
Park Si-hyun's heart, which had stayed calm even when he led Rot-Weiss Essen to victory, during the tension of the World Cup final, and even when lifting the World Cup trophy.
The spot where Lisa and I stood now was a small park near the Essen club's facilities.
In the late evening as the sun fully set, red light filtered through the leaves, spreading warm colors across the ground.
Every time the wind blew, the rustling of leaves brushing against each other blended into the evening quiet, echoing subtly.
Sounds I would normally walk right past without noticing.
But right now, in this moment, they all swelled with my heartbeat, making it feel like the entire park was throbbing along.
I'd already confessed, and even publicly announced it in front of everyone.
There was no place left to run, no way to delay anymore.
But "waiting for an answer" was far more brutal than I'd imagined.
Honestly, it was tougher than being down 0:3 in a match.
So I'd called Lisa here.
To hear it straight, without any fog or misunderstandings.
"If she turns me down here... let's just end it. For me, for Lisa, that might be better."
Lisa Schmidt was a girl who'd long hidden her true self in her songs, afraid people would hate the real her, scared of backlash if she showed her emotions, always carefully masking them.
But now, she'd finally turned her story into song, and that song was drawing worldwide attention.
I didn't want to cover that light, that precious stage, with my own tale.
Never.
So if Lisa said "no," I planned to quietly step off the stage called Lisa Schmidt.
To naturally fade from her life, her dreams, her songs.
But if...
If we really started dating, then before anyone else, I'd erase the "loneliness of an empty concert hall" she'd sung about in her song.
Not as a packed audience, but as that one person by her side.
That's the Park Si-hyun style, after all.
The moment Lisa's lips trembled and she swallowed hard, every surrounding sound faded like it was pushed backstage.
"My... answer is..."
Those few words stretched one second into ten minutes.
The wind shaking the leaves sounded louder, and every creak of the bench legs made my heart shake with it.
And finally, Lisa let out a very cautious breath.
"...I've made and sung a lot of love songs until now."
Her voice trembled, but her eyes were somehow firm.
"But... honestly, I've never really tried to understand those feelings, or properly feel them. I just..."
Lisa dipped her head slightly and continued carefully.
"Sang them because people liked them, because love songs were popular... I don't think I ever really pondered what they felt like."
She fiddled with the end of her loosely tied-up hair with her fingers and paused for a moment.
Then she took a small breath and slowly lifted her gaze toward me.
"But you know..."
Her eyes wavered, her cheeks faintly flushed.
"When I imagined you... with another girl... or another girl hearing your confession..."
Her fingertips curled in slightly.
"...It bothered me so much it didn't make sense. And... I think I'd get jealous. A lot."
The moment those words fell, even the wind seemed to hush.
And Lisa gave a tiny smile. A subtle one caught between shyness and courage.
"...So, in conclusion."
Her small voice rang out surprisingly clear.
"...I like you. That's... my answer."
That night, Park Si-hyun's world shifted quietly but surely in a new direction, and the next day, every media outlet's headlines were plastered with this.
Rot-Weiss Essen's God, Park Si-hyun, Confirms Relationship with Singer Lisa Schmidt!
Park Si-hyun: "Lisa has Park Si-hyun, and Park Si-hyun has Lisa.
So from today, any insults toward Lisa Schmidt will be seen as insults toward me.
If you're afraid of God, watch yourself.
If you babble without knowing your place... I'll be standing in front of your house tomorrow."
European journalists rubbed their eyes in disbelief, Korean fans burst out laughing en masse, and Germany's SNS was flooded all day with parodies of Park Si-hyun's signature tone.
And at the center of the uproar, Lisa read through the articles and comments one by one until her ears turned bright red, then quietly grumbled.
"You can't give a heads-up before doing stuff like this?"
I naturally pulled her into a hug.
My carefully lowered hand gently brushed her hair.
The moment Lisa's tense, shy breaths leaned against my chest, I chuckled lowly and said,
"Lisa, from now on, sing whatever songs you want. Sing your stories no matter what anyone says. If someone insults you for it... I'll handle them. So remember this: Park Si-hyun's got your back."
Bundesliga 2 Round 5.
The day Park Si-hyun's suspension ended and he finally returned to the pitch was approaching.
Rot-Weiss Essen had four straight wins through Round 4.
The stigma of "they lose without Park" was completely gone, and the transfers' explosive performances combined with the existing players' cohesion had elevated the team to a whole new level.
That didn't dilute Park Si-hyun's presence, of course.
If anything, everyone inwardly posed the same question.
If Essen without Park Si-hyun is this strong, how far will they go once he returns?
That anticipation had ignited softly in the media and fans' hearts, now spreading like a massive blaze.
And the key spark pouring oil on the flames was something else.
The Round 5 opponent: Rot-Weiss Oberhausen.
Just a 20-25 minute drive from Essen. A rough town of miners and laborers. Infamous for fans invading each other's stadiums anytime to brawl.
All these factors birthed the Rhine-Ruhr local derby.
Traditionally, Oberhausen held the edge.
Essen, struggling in the 3. Liga for years, was a laughingstock, forced to swallow the mockery with no recourse.
They hadn't even gotten chances to face 2. Liga's Oberhausen back then.
But things were different now.
The Rot-Weiss Essen that Oberhausen had mocked was no longer flailing in the 3. Liga. After four rounds, they topped the 2. Liga table.
Maybe that's why.
The area around Oberhausen's stadium was a full warzone short of actual smoke. Essen's fans were buzzing for the first time standing above their rivals.
The taunts drew instant counterattacks. Oberhausen fans gnashed their teeth and shouted back.
Insults and sneers flew both ways.
Essen fans erupted in laughter at that.
Oberhausen fans shut up at that for a moment.
Seizing the gap, Essen fans landed the final blow.
Essen's God has come to judge you.
Oberhausen vs. Essen kickoff.
Surprisingly, Park Si-hyun wasn't starting.
In the past, Essen fans might've rioted, but now no one worried.
Essen without Park was plenty strong, and just having him on the bench watching sharply brought reassurance.
The attack without Park Si-hyun fell to Kaká.
In the 4-4-2 setup, Kaká shone in "sudden counterattacks."
One drawback, though:
Thwack!
His physicality got pushed around too easily in duels.
[Kaká's technique is superb. But it's a shame his physicality lets him get shoved off under pressure.]
[Park Si-hyun has technique, speed, and physicality, making him strong even in tussles. Still, Kaká's great at escaping pressure, so once he adapts more to the league, he could form the best duo with Park Si-hyun.]
But he compensated with insane speed.
The kind that could rip Oberhausen's goal apart in a blink if they slacked.
A still-raw prospect, but one with a killer shot. That was Kaká.
Time flowed, and even without Park Si-hyun, Essen dominated Oberhausen completely.
Rot-Weiss Essen 1 - 0 Rot-Weiss Oberhausen
Halftime ended, second half began.
Park Si-hyun, who'd been warming up throughout the first half, had his name on the board right at the start of the second.
[Here he is, folks! Number 9, Park Si-hyun enters!]
[Essen fans are all standing to welcome their god!]
"GOD! GOD! GOD! GOD! GOD!"
The moment Park Si-hyun stepped onto the pitch, the air changed.
Kaká, back on the bench wiping sweat, stared blankly at the scene.
"Kaká."
"Yes?"
Coach Frank sat beside him with a smile.
"A bit shocked, huh?"
Kaká stared at Park Si-hyun, momentarily speechless, then slowly nodded.
"...I've seen tons of footage. But... seeing it live... I didn't expect this. It's just... overwhelming."
Coach Frank patted his shoulder.
"You'll get used to it soon. Being with Park Si-hyun at Essen means..."
He gestured to the scene before them. Thousands of fans chanting their god, rocking the stadium.
"...Scenes like this 'unreal spectacle' become your everyday life."