Chapter 115
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 115
Chapter Title: Park Si-hyun's Korean Guide
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"Kekeke… what are we gonna do with our Si-hyun~"
"Aigoo, Si-hyun-ah, what now? You got caught cheating."
In the midst of my teammates' explosive barrage of teasing, I… couldn't say a word.
‘No, it's the devil's editing!!!’
I, who had only ever watched that infamous editing technique from Mnet X—the one that made rappers cry—with pure amusement… never imagined I'd end up on the receiving end myself.
And on the most popular talk show in America, the Oprah Winfrey Show, no less…
The original plan was simple.
Lisa was going to be on the Oprah show, so I was gonna round up all the guys and say, "Hey, let's watch together. My sister-in-law's on." Just to brag a little.
But I never dreamed that moment would turn into the button that opens the gates of hell.
‘They already dug up that photo? It happened just last night.’
‘No, it's fine. Lisa won't misunderstand.’
I believed I'd shown it to her enough times already.
That Lisa was the only one for me.
And Lisa would think of all the love and actions I'd built up first, rather than believing some stupid photo fragment…
"How am I going to kill Si-hyun when I get back to Germany?"
Oprah asked playfully, and Lisa replied with an expression that hardly seemed like a joke.
"..."
As my face stiffened, the teammates got even more excited and started chattering away.
They must've found it fun seeing me this scared for the first time.
Slowly, very slowly, my gaze turned toward the culprit behind this whole mess.
"You shouldn't do that."
Yeah, the others could laugh all they wanted. But you, who created this situation—you absolutely shouldn't.
I strode over to Kaká, who was doubled over laughing and clutching his stomach.
To that guy who somehow looked handsome even while laughing.
"Huh…?"
Kaká paused mid-laugh, sensing the chill in the air, and glanced around.
And the moment he realized everyone else had already bolted, leaving him alone, cold sweat started pouring down his forehead.
"S-Si-hyun… I wasn't laughing at that, I swear, the screen was just so—"
"Kaká, do you know the capital of the country where I was born, Korea?"
"The capital…? Uh… I don't know right now, but… I'll study it and find out, please, please forgive me…!"
"Wanna study, or go there yourself?"
"Huh? Now? How—"
I suppressed a forced grin and grabbed Kaká's earlobes tightly with both hands.
Then yanked upward hard.
"Here, like this. This is sightseeing in Seoul. What do you think? Pretty, right? Hey, look straight. Higher!"
"Gaaahhh!!! Si-hyun!! Wait!! It's really gonna rip off!! Aaaak!!! I'm turning into Charlie!!!"
I could say it wasn't Kaká's fault.
But the reason the girl fans swarmed me—rushing toward Kaká and nearly getting hurt—was because Kaká failed to handle it properly and keep them safe. The responsibility is 100%, no question, on him.
"Gaaahk!! I'll, I'll go explain it directly to Lisa myself!! Please! Spare me—!"
"You dare call Lisa by her name like that? You bastard."
Jan Koller couldn't make sense of the current situation at all.
Dortmund's ace striker and the team's top scorer from the previous season, he felt the atmosphere of preparing this intensely just to face a single second-division team was a complete waste of time.
‘Why do we have to care this much about beating a second-division team? We're Dortmund. Last season's Bundesliga champions.’
He grumbled inwardly and shook his head.
Matthias Sammer, the manager, was famous as the most thorough analyst in the entire league.
He'd distill the core playstyles of each team into broad categories and train tactics within those frameworks.
For possession-based teams, specific pressing and line adjustments; for long-ball reliant sides, targeting second balls; for double-line defenses, particular infiltration patterns…
He prepared category-specific countermeasures in advance.
The reason was simple: there was never enough time for custom training per opponent.
It takes far longer than you'd think to perfectly integrate a tactic across the whole team.
Especially for Sammer, who placed extreme emphasis on tactical completion and precise ‘pre-agreed movements.’
With a system where one player's mistake collapses everything, custom opponent prep in a short time was impossible from the start.
So usually, only direct title rivals like Bayern Munich or Leverkusen got the exceptional ‘custom training’ treatment.
The problem was that Rot-Weiss Essen wasn't one of those teams.
Jan Koller let out a deep sigh.
‘Not even a title contender… Preparing this meticulously against a second-division team that won't affect the league standings at all?’
And yet, the team was receiving unusually detailed instructions right now. Pressing timings, positioning for aerial duels, half-space coverage, individual marking for specific players—it all screamed ‘top-team preparation.’
Resentment bubbled up to his throat, but he said nothing.
Sammer was more stubborn than anyone when it came to tactics.
He'd bench even the team's ace without mercy if they questioned his system.
So with doubts piling up like mountains, Jan Koller had only one choice.
Stay quiet and follow Sammer's orders.
As he swallowed his complaints unwillingly, Márcio Amoroso—the one fans hailed as the ‘best strike duo’ despite their actual poor relationship—started picking a fight.
"This is all because of you."
"What?"
"Essen has the evolved version of our ace Jan Koller. Park Si-hyun. We only know how to score with our heads, but that guy's got feet too."
"You bastard…"
Márcio Amoroso was the Bundesliga's top scorer this season.
Same position as Jan Koller, but completely different style.
A versatile attacker who could sprint into space, dribble, break through, and shoot.
Their styles differed, and constant fan comparisons only widened the rift.
Still, it wasn't a total fallout.
They'd traded light verbal jabs like business as usual, never clashed physically.
But today… the comparison target was the issue.
Jan Koller had lately been hounded by malicious comments pitting him against Park Si-hyun.
Why can't you dribble like Park Si-hyun?
Why can't you carry games solo like Park Si-hyun?
He wasn't that type of player to begin with.
He'd never trained that way; his strengths were aerial dominance, post play, physical battles.
He'd always prided himself as the best in those areas. But people didn't grasp the stylistic differences.
They just compared. Compared and compared again.
His pride stung at being measured against a second-division player who hadn't even reached the top flight yet.
Even with his World Cup win and Golden Boot, and his own track record.
That must be why this Essen-specific strategy training grated even more.
Unaware of the subtle rage, Márcio Amoroso tossed another playful jab, as usual.
Never noticing Jan Koller's unusual expression, since he'd never lost his cool on the training pitch before.
"What? It's true, right? Honestly, if Park Si-hyun were on our team instead of you, we wouldn't need this custom training. And you know he'd be the biggest threat to you?"
At those words, Jan Koller's vision narrowed sharply.
A ‘whiiiing—’ rang in his ears, and fury surged from his knees to his scalp.
And—
Thud.
Jan Koller's large hand roughly grabbed Márcio Amoroso's collar.
"What… did you just say?"
His voice was low, but anyone could see it was on the verge of exploding.
Márcio Amoroso's eyes widened at the unexpected reaction.
"Hey, what's your deal? It was just a joke—"
"Say it again. That line."
Jan Koller's grip had already crumpled Márcio Amoroso's jersey.
The air around them froze instantly. Players mid-training looked up one by one.
"Jan!! Márcio!! Cut it out!"
"Both of you, calm down!! What the hell are you doing?!"
Defenders rushed in to separate them, and the goalkeeper pushed their chests apart.
"You crazy bastards, what are you doing on the training pitch?!"
Coach Williams yelled. As they were pulled apart, Márcio Amoroso glared at Jan Koller.
"What's with the sudden temper? I said it was a joke."
"A joke?"
Jan Koller's breathing grew ragged.
"Park Si-hyun would be the biggest threat to me? Do you know how loose your mouth is?"
"No, it's the truth."
As those words landed and Jan Koller lunged forward again,
"Enough!!!"
Sammer's voice cracked like thunder.
"How dare you disrupt sacred tactical training!!!"