The Second Lee Cheon-soo
Baek Do-hyeong hustled out of the dorm at the crack of dawn.
The air was surprisingly chilly for early autumn, with the sun not yet risen.
“Do-hyeong! Over here!”
Kim Seung-su, the agent waiting out front, hurried over and grabbed his suitcase.
“Whoa, this thing's heavy. Must be 'cause it's an away trip—you pack extra? Feels heavier than usual.”
“That's part of it, but we've got a new guy joining up. First call-up for him, and his first overseas trip too, right? Figured he'd be all excited and forget stuff, so I packed some extras for him.”
“Man, you're thorough.”
“Captain's gotta look out for the team. Plus, Coach told me special to take good care of him.”
“Jang Gi-tae did?”
“Yeah. Called me yesterday. Said to keep an eye on the new kid.”
As Kim Seung-su loaded the suitcase into the car, he tilted his head.
“Jang Gi-tae? That guy's got a caring side?”
“First time on the boat, you know. I looked him up—short career, doesn't seem to know many folks. Probably why.”
Kim Seung-su knew Jang Gi-tae wasn't the type for that kind of fuss. He wouldn't bother calling just for something so minor.
Shaking his head, he handed a blanket to Baek Do-hyeong, who was yawning tiredly in the passenger seat.
“You look beat. Get some shut-eye. It's a haul to Cheonan.”
“I'm good. Can't sleep while you're driving, hyung.”
Kim Seung-su's lips curved into a fond smile at the mature reply.
That was Baek Do-hyeong for you.
To Kim Seung-su, who believed raw talent without character only sparked briefly and never endured, Baek Do-hyeong was a priceless gem. Young in years but a model pro—skilled, personable, no rough edges. From his powerhouse club Ulsan FC's youth squad at Ulsan High to every age-group national team, his captaincy wasn't handed out lightly.
“Alright. First national team trip, so I'll show him around the center, brag about the top-notch facilities... Hit the museum with all the legends' highlights too. It's mandatory for reps. Park Ji-sung's autograph, Son Heung-min's signed ball... Nah, save that—he'd just get jealous.”
Kim Seung-su's fond smile vanished in an instant.
Even the best had flaws. Baek Do-hyeong's, as a model athlete, was his hardcore patriotism. The serious kind.
With the old Paju NFC at capacity, Cheonan NFC had opened as the new home. Korea's pride, unveiled in 2025.
Seeing the massive white tiger emblem proclaiming it the home of the Korean national team, Baek Do-hyeong's chest swelled with national pride once more.
The weight of representing the country hits different.
He clutched the Taegeuk emblem stitched on his chest.
Pride as a national team player bubbled up fiercely.
The new guy must be bursting with this too. As a senior and the captain, I've gotta guide him right!
The current squad lacked patriotism.
From legends like Cha Bum-geun, Park Ji-sung, to Son Heung-min—the spirit of selfless devotion to the nation had vanished somewhere along the way!
Baek Do-hyeong sighed.
He, yes he, had to carry that torch. That was why he wore the armband.
National team.
What an honor!
About 180 high school soccer clubs nationwide, over 5,000 registered players.
From elementary and middle school trials, only a few dozen made the cut from those 5,000.
How could they not cherish this spot, selected from the elite? They couldn't call themselves nationals without that pride!
Wearing the Taegeuk meant running with that heavy duty—and his teammates lacked it.
The fundamentals.
Baek Do-hyeong yearned to restore them.
Good. As the saying goes, the moment you think it's too late is when it's earliest. Not too late—time to reform the team starting now.
First up: the rookie.
Jo Se-jin, was it?
First camp, so his soul should still be pure, untainted by the fallen members.
As captain of the Korean national team, he'd start with this junior and reclaim the fundamentals for all!... That was Baek Do-hyeong's bold plan—
until it shattered the moment he laid eyes on the newbie.
“Ey~ Wassup, bro~”
“...?”
“You're the captain, right? I suck at telling East Asians apart... Name's Baek Do-hyeong? Captain Baek! Nice to meet ya.”
“...??”
What... what was this weirdo?
The new life kept shocking Rodrigo.
No joke—every day brought surprises, multiple times over.
One was Korea's strict senior-junior culture.
Surprised by the hierarchy? Hardly. That was familiar territory for Rodrigo.
Quite the opposite.
Tsk tsk. Seniors this soft? Locker rooms need discipline, but Korea's all mush everywhere. When I'm the vet, first thing I'll fix is this.
Rodrigo was a man of the 'romantic' 70s and 80s.
Old-school tough.
The absurdities and hierarchies he'd endured were harsher than 2027 Korea, if anything. Getting smacked by seniors was baseline; on away trips, bags tossed in the bus hold or dryer, even forced to jerk off in front of everyone!
Of course, Rodrigo had dodged all that.
A prodigy from childhood, hailed as Brazil's—soccer empire's—greatest talent ever, he'd gotten special treatment early on.
Even so, in his pro rookie days, he'd had to watch his step.
To Rodrigo, used to that grind, seeing seniors stammer and fumble with juniors looked pathetic.
“Uh, yeah. Nice to meet you.”
“Name's not Lee Cheon-soo... it's Jo Se-jin, right?”
Rodrigo smirked.
Same as at Sekwang High—all softies. Asians were too damn tame.
Whatever... made it easy, no need to crush them with skill right away.
The macho whistled as he strode to the pitch, players trailing at a wary distance like he was nuts.
“Huh? Why you all hanging back? Where's Do-hyeong?”
“Uh... Coach. Do-hyeong's... just in the bathroom for a sec...”
“Really? He's not the type to miss training... Must've been urgent. Anyway, newbie! Front and center.”
Called forward by Jang Gi-tae, Rodrigo grinned and waved.
The harmless smile on that actor-handsome face drew a chuckle from the coach.
“Kid's a looker. Jo Se-jin, first camp. He's with us for the away trip, so seniors, take care of him. Head in.”
As Rodrigo trotted onto the field, players edged back like an invisible barrier had sprung up.
Crazy bastard.
This guy's for real.
It was a shocking debut in every way,
and he showed shocking form on the pitch too.
Then October rolled around.
The Brazil-bound squad was finally announced.
The media went wild, but public buzz was lukewarm at best.
The hype from Lee Kang-in's U-17 days had fizzled since.
The team departed amid modest cheers from a handful of diehards and a dozen reporters.
The 2027 FIFA U-17 Brazil World Cup was right around the corner.