Rebound (2)
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The first ones to notice that my play had changed were my teammates.
"Oh? Min-jun. You look like you're in good condition today?"
It was Hugo Sanchez.
A 28-year-old center-back who was a homegrown Barcelona youth product. He was also the team's vice-captain, a guy who felt like a friendly uncle, and in reality, he was a grateful person who took the best care of me when I was an outcast and gave favorable interviews about me.
"Yeah, I guess so. It's been a while since my body moved properly."
"Aren't you done growing yet?"
Everyone knew that my sudden slump was due to a rapid growth spurt.
It was obvious to see me shooting up in height, so how could they not know?
Experts accurately diagnosed the cause of my slump as a loss of balance due to rapid growth, but the public always goes crazy for sensational stories.
The club kept badgering me to play for the sake of Asian marketing, the coach hated me more as the board's interference increased, and I would just play poorly whenever I got on the pitch.
The last few months were truly a repeating vicious cycle.
"My arms and legs don't hurt anymore, so I think I'm done growing! I'm going to start performing properly from now on, so keep an eye on me, Vice-Captain."
Hearing the interpreter's words, Sanchez laughed heartily and patted my back.
Ugh, I heard he was 28, but looking at that face covered in a bushy beard, he looks like he's 38.
"Oh! That's a relief! The time has come for our Asia Prince to show his true skills!"
"Can't you change that nickname? Everyone calls me that because you keep pushing it, Vice-Captain."
"What's wrong with Asia Prince?"
"It sounds like some Middle Eastern prince."
It's uncomfortable having to go through an interpreter, but as we were laughing and chatting, the reporters started snapping photos like crazy.
Sigh... I'm going to get roasted hard again for smiling when I can't even play well.
"Tsk."
There was also a player who walked past us, clicking his tongue as if he disapproved.
Generally, Barcelona players are kind to me, but not everyone is.
The reason is... well, some of it is because I'm bad, and some guys think I stole the media's attention... No, come to think of it, it's funny. Is this something to be jealous of? Being a punching bag for insults?
If they're that jealous, I could teach them the secret to definitely grabbing the media's aggro. If you take off your pants and take a dump on the pitch during a match, the whole world's media will pay attention. In a bad way.
Anyway, there are various reasons for them to dislike me.
For instance, there's even a guy who dislikes me because his backup member—some guy named Fernando or Nal-gang-du—was pushed out by my recruitment and went on loan to another team.
I showed off play that was completely different from before in training and surprised everyone, but playing opportunities weren't easily given.
With the end of the first half approaching, Barcelona was marking 1st place in the league table with an overwhelming record, and they were also cruising in the Champions League group stage, which was their only blemish last season.
When the team's atmosphere is good, there's no need to rashly change the starting members.
Plus, I don't fit into the tactics of the coach, who is a typical "positional football" fetishist.
Still, they can't play only with the starters forever, right?
Since I've been relegated to a backup member, my rotation ranking has dropped, so playing opportunities won't come easily, but I focused on changing internal perceptions by silently performing well in training.
Anyway, the contract specified 5 league starts, so even excluding the 2 opportunities I blew, I still had 3 opportunities left.
I just need to show a changed side of myself in those 3 starts and gradually expand my position.
However, until the first half ended and the winter break arrived, I wasn't given any match opportunities.
"What?"
Did I hear wrong?
But Oh Ha-rin just repeated it again with a complex expression mixed with apology, worry, and pity.
"The club... says you should return home during the winter break and complete basic military training."
The mandatory military service for Korean players is surprisingly quite widely known.
It's partly due to the influence of Korean players who have been active in the European soccer scene, but above all, the Hallyu boom had a big impact.
"The winter break is at most 2 weeks, and they want me to go do 3 weeks of basic training?"
European leagues have a winter break.
The Bundesliga, which is the longest, is almost a month, and the Premier League, which is the shortest, is about a week.
La Liga and Serie A are in between, about 2 weeks.
From December to early January, the break around Christmas.
They want me to do military training during this period...?
If you only look at the schedule, it's not a huge stretch.
The break is about 2 weeks, so if the club gives just a little consideration, I could return after 3 weeks of training.
But that's only on the surface; if I return after receiving military training in an environment where I can't touch a ball for 3 weeks, I'll have to spend a lot of time again to get into condition to play matches properly.
This is... practically the same as being declared surplus to requirements.
"I need to meet the coach. It's true I was sluggish in the first half, but I've been showing good form in training recently, so if I talk to him..."
As I grabbed my coat, I was struck dumb by Oh Ha-rin's expression.
"...I'm sorry."
"Sorry? For what?"
"I should have looked into it better. We shouldn't have come here."
"Ha-rin."
"The club... recruited you for marketing. Since your utility isn't as high as expected, they're planning to get rid of you."
No.
Honestly, Oh Ha-rin and Yoon Da-ye questioned my choice. They asked if it really had to be Barcelona.
"It's not your fault. I'm the one who chose it."
I was the one who confidently insisted on going to Barcelona.
And I ended up in this mess because I stupidly spent my points.
"But..."
"Ha-rin. If Barcelona won't wait for me, then I'll just leave. That's why the club is sending me back home, right?"
According to the contract, my starting appearance option for this season is 5 games.
In a league with 38 games total, 5 games might seem small, but it's by no means a small number. Furthermore, there's a 7-game starting option next season and a 10-game option in the final season, so it must be a burden for the club.
"They said my marketing value wasn't as good as they thought, right? That's probably why they want to resolve the military service issue quickly and get rid of me. That's why they're sending me for military training during the winter break. So... is it a transfer or a loan?"
"Probably... it'll be a loan. It seems they haven't completely given up on you yet."
"A loan, huh."
As a sense of crisis washed over me, my brain started spinning rapidly.
Damn it, I should have raised my intelligence stat beforehand.
"Actually, this is better. Seeing as there's been no change in height for the past fortnight, I'm done growing, and the balance adjustment is finished, so I'll be able to perform properly. Ha-rin. While I'm away at training, please look for a club for me to go on loan to. Please."
"...Okay. I'll wait."
『Hong Min-jun enters the country mid-season! What on earth happened?』
『The reason for his sudden return?』
『Red light for starting competition! Hong Min-jun enters through Incheon International Airport!』
『Shock! Is the reason for his return military training?』
『Hong Min-jun receives 3 weeks of basic military training while the season is in progress! What's the story behind it?』
『(photo) Hong Min-jun conducting an interview before entering the training center』
『(photo) Fans filling the area in front of the training center』
『(photo) A beautiful female fan! Turns out to be America's sweetheart Elena?』
—F*ck, Hong Min-jun has hit rock bottom lol
ㄴWow, this is the first time I've seen someone enter mid-season;
ㄴLooks like he's completely pushed out of the starting competition
ㄴStarting? He's even been pushed off the bench
ㄴKya~ He worked hard warming the bench all this time lol
—Is this for real...? The player who performed so well in the Olympics fell into the abyss like this?
ㄴThe gap between pro and amateur is huge, yeah
ㄴI had high expectations for the guy who was chewing up pros in the Olympics...
ㄴI knew it from when he was acting cocky about going to Barca lol. Who does he think he is, a La Liga player?
ㄴHong Min-jun is perfect for the K-League!
—Unpopular opinion) You have to live life like Hong Min-jun. Good looks, watching European leagues live while getting a six-figure salary, and military service is just 3 weeks of training? F*ck lol. Is this even a country? lol
ㄴFor real, honestly jealous...
ㄴLook at him, he's still handsome even though his hair styling is gone lol
—F*ck, what is this? Why is Elena there?
ㄴWho's that?
ㄴAmerica's sweetheart, you idiot
ㄴIt's not even our country, but America's... that crazy bastard, she's f*cking pretty lol. Agreed.
ㄴWow... Elena is super popular in the US, did she really follow him all the way to Korea just because Hong Min-jun is entering the training center? Is his visual power for real??
Oh Ha-rin, who suddenly came face-to-face with Elena—who had insisted on following him to Korea even though he said it was fine—surprisingly didn't have much of a reaction.
Of course, Elena, who knew he had a girlfriend in Korea, just gave an ambiguous smile too.
Hmm... well, I guess it's a relief they aren't fighting for now.
I was puzzled by the reaction, which was different from when it was Yoon Da-ye, but I couldn't think too deeply about it because entry into the training center was right around the corner.
When I left the training center after 3 weeks of basic training.
What was waiting for me was the proposal from a club that wanted to recruit me, prepared by Oh Ha-rin, and,
"Oh? Yoon Da-ye? What are you doing here?"
"...I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Min-jun."
"What's with you all of a sudden? And why does your face look like that?"
"I'm sorry. Sob, I'm really sorry. Sob."
It was Yoon Da-ye, with a gaunt and hollow face, as if something had happened.