The Day I Had a Nonsense Dream
The Day I Had a Nonsense Dream
001
I blink my eyes.
...A dream?
A nasty, damp feeling on my back, as if I'd been sweating cold sweat.
I sit up, feeling gross, and the world is pitch black.
After fumbling around the unfamiliar bed, I finally found my phone.
I turned on the screen; it was 4 AM.
"...Ha. What a stupid dream."
I sighed and tossed the phone aside.
4:40 AM, huh. ...Should I sleep more?
I closed my eyes and lay in bed, but falling back asleep was a lost cause.
After tossing and turning a few times, I sat up again.
Scratching my head, I remembered I had to leave my studio apartment by 7 AM today. Better to get up early than oversleep and be late.
Today is the first day of [Training Camp], isn't it?
[Training Camp] day one.
In other words, the day I officially join the [Soccer Club].
It means the day I become a proud new member of the [Hojin University Soccer Team].
...I feel like dying.
[Hojin University].
Commonly known as "Lousy University."
A university located over 4 hours away from Seoul by car, the absolute pinnacle of "trash universities" that even accepts legendary warriors who just filled in random answers on their CSAT and went to sleep.
...Is my future going to be okay like this?
I sigh heavily at the bleakness, but my only consolation is that I didn't get in through academics.
[Hojin University]'s academic cutoff is so low it would pierce the bottom and reach the Earth's core, but they say it's decent for arts and sports, especially physical education.
So.
It's nothing to brag about, but I'm a [Soccer Club] member who's considered an ace at [Hojin University].
"I want to secure a starting spot, perform well, and go to the [K-League]~"
Others might scoff, "The [K-League]? Is that even a league?" but for a football player, the [K-League] is a career path only the elite of the elite can take.
There are many people in the world who kick a ball around claiming to play soccer, and many who lived the life of a [Soccer Club] member in elementary, middle, and high school. But how many actually play in the [K-League]?
There are 12 teams in the [K-League].
Even counting the second division, it's only 23 teams.
Soccer is a sport played by 11 people, so 11 starters plus 11 rotation players makes 22. Add a few backup members, and the average number of players per team is 30 at the low end, 40 at the high end.
In other words, a team's [First Team Roster] depth is at most 30 to 40 people.
With 23 teams in the [K-League] 1st and 2nd divisions combined, the number of people who can play in the domestic professional league is only around 700 to 800.
There are thousands, tens of thousands of aspiring soccer players across the country, yet only this many play in the [K-League].
Not to mention.
The player famous as the [Lion King] played professionally until his 40s.
Ultimately, only a few dozen players can enter the [K-League] each year; the competition is absolutely mind-shattering.
The [K-League] is terrifying...!
'...Well, even though I say all that, it means I can't even become a domestic-level player.'
Talking about [K-League] competition rates and player depth... at the end of the day, it's just a domestic league.
If I can't even dominate the domestic league, how the hell am I supposed to become one of the [European League Players]?
Up until middle school, I made a name for myself as a genius.
Small build, excellent footwork, decent [Acceleration], overwhelming agility and [Reaction Speed], and great body [Balance]—they said it reminded them of [Messi].
Of course, it just reminded them of [Messi]; I wasn't [Messi].
Maybe I used up my future growth potential early; the slow growth during high school was enough time to send a prospect into the abyss.
That's why I'm in this state.
"If only I had a [Stat Window] at a time like this...??"
Why is this actually appearing?
I thought about it carefully.
What if what I thought was a stupid dream wasn't a dream?
A real dream... that sounds weird, but anyway, what if that dream was real?
'Something's weird.'
I definitely wished for sex.
Sex.
The act of doing "that" with a woman.
How on earth does that connect to soccer?
If I force a connection, maybe it's that popular soccer players are naturally popular with the opposite sex, so they have sex countless times, and since soccer is a sport that emphasizes the lower body and [Stamina], the sexual satisfaction is high?
It probably isn't that.
Is it... that?
I pulled up the [Stat Window] again.
【Technical】 【Mental】 【Physical】
[Individual Skill] 062 ｜[Vision] 046｜[Speed] 059
[Dribbling] 055 ｜[Anticipation] 044｜[Acceleration] 063
[Trapping] 057 ｜[Judgment] 042｜[Balance] 056
[Short Pass] 048 ｜[Concentration] 056｜Agility 059
[Long Pass] 041 ｜[Off the Ball] 047｜[Reaction Speed] 079
[Shooting] 045 ｜[Marking] 038｜[Power] 054
[Free Kick] 042 ｜[Composure] 052｜[Jump] 046
[Header] 038 ｜[Leadership] 040｜[Stamina] 047
[Tackle] 032 ｜[Teamwork] 039｜[Recovery] 065
【Hidden】
[Genius] 046 ｜ [Charm] 045 ｜ [Intelligence] 028
【Height 175cm｜63kg】
【Points Held】 [Special Points] 50P
*Initial limited [Special Points] granted!
*[Special Points] increase any stat by 1 per 1 point!
A translucent hologram floating before my eyes.
'Ah, damn. Why are there so many words? And so many numbers. I'm not friends with numbers.'
Anyway, these numbers... aren't they too low?
In most games, the limit is 99 or 100, so why are mine in the 40s to 60s? Good grief. There are even 30s.
"...I see! I get it!!"
The limit of this [Stat Window] is definitely 80!!
Even [Messi] in his prime must have had [Individual Skill] in the 80s.
Otherwise, it makes no sense that my [Individual Skill], which has been rated as pro-level since middle school, is only 62.
"Huh? There are points?"
I hate lots of words and numbers, but as I forced myself to look, I saw some [Special Points] or whatever.
Ah, if I have 50 points, I obviously have to use them.
"Let's see... how should I distribute them so people say I did a good job?"
Should I invest in technique and become [Messi]? Or start with the low ones?
A brief moment of hesitation.
A man should always go all-in.
Why, there's a famous saying in the soccer world, isn't there?
Better to be a player with an outstanding strength than a small hexagon.
50 points.
It's a lot of points if you think about it, but if I divide them among dozens of stats, I'll just end up being a mediocre hexagon player.
So I will become [Messi]... huh?
"Hidden? What's this?"
[Genius]? [Charm]? And what's [Intelligence]? Why is my [Intelligence] only 28?
It's clear. The guy who made this has no conscience.
Of course, my grades are a bit disastrous.
But that's because I'm in the [Soccer Club], it's definitely not because I'm stupid. If I had studied like the other kids, would my grades be like this?
I just don't have time to study because of soccer; if I do it, I'm good at it.
My mom said so. That I'm good at it if I do it.
'...Da-ye did call me stupid, though.'
I distributed the points without hesitation.
【Hidden】
[Genius] 046 ｜ [Charm] 095▲｜ [Intelligence] 028
【Height 175cm｜63kg】
【Points Held】 0P
Kuh, this is sex.
Sex!!
The lacking stats catch my eye, but I have no shame in my choice, looking up at the sky.
Soccer... well, I can grow through training, but [Charm], this thing called [Charm] can't be grown through training.
Kya~ even with this, is my [Intelligence] 28?
'Yeah. Soccer isn't everything in life, right? First, you have to be handsome to have sex...?'
Wha...t?
Why does my whole body hurt so much?
Trembling fingers come into my darkening vision.
Am I really going to die like this?
Ah, no! I haven't even done it once yet!!
The image of my first love flickers before my eyes.
A childhood friend who lived next door and was close to me since before kindergarten. We were inseparable from kindergarten to elementary school... but when I confessed, that bitch rejected me coldly with a disgusted look on her face, though she was really pretty. ...Her body was fucking amazing, too.
I was planning to look for a chance to confess again... fuck.
Of all things, this dark history at the end...
Beep beep! Beep beep!!
"Gasp!"
I jumped up at the sound of the alarm; it's morning.
...Huh? I have a sense of déjà vu.
"Ah, damn, what a stupid dream."
Starting from the first day of joining, this is a total pain in the ass.
I checked the time; there's no time for breakfast. Forget breakfast, even if I get ready now, I'm going to be late.
I hurriedly showered, roughly dried my hair with a towel, threw on my clothes in a rush, and ran out.
Since the school is in such a remote place, both my studio apartment and the surrounding geography were completely unfamiliar.
As I was running for a while, I saw a man and a woman arguing on the side of the road.
"I said I don't want to."
"Wait, just a second, please spare some time."
"I said no!"
A pair of cockroaches ruining my morning... but the woman was too pretty to say that.
She's the prettiest woman I've ever seen?
My footsteps slowly started to drag.
Ah, I can't pass up watching a pretty woman.
As I passed by, I sniffed the air for no reason. It felt like there was a nice scent, too.
Kya~ lucky start to the morning. Sweet~
"Excuse me."
I was passing by regretfully when the woman suddenly spoke to me, and I was startled.
"Me?"
"Yes. You."
A woman this pretty talking to me? Maybe she's interested in me... Delusions like that are for amateurs.
I know my place.
Plus, because of bad memories with pretty women, I like to look, but I don't want to get involved.
"Why?"
"Why?"
What. Why.
"Ha. Can you get this guy off my back?"
"Why should I?"
"...Why?"
It feels like the same words are being repeated.
"Look here. I'm a bit busy right now, okay? Handle your own business."
Even if I help, she won't even look at me anyway.
I know well.
Because I've been used plenty by pretty women.
"H-hey! Hey!!"
Don't know, can't hear you.
I really need to go fast before I'm late.