In the Name of Olmunt (1)
[Dosik: Rejected. I get what you're saying, but do we really need to do it right now?]
Tears blur my vision. The wish scroll I wrote turns out to have such tricky restrictions that I can't even use it. Sounds ridiculous, right? But one look at this text message, and you'll understand exactly what I mean.
Two texts, and my dreams shatter into pieces. No fairy like in the lamp tales. My room-bound fairy is ridiculously picky.
How does he read my mind like that? Another follow-up text hits, impossible to argue against. I smack my lips in regret, but Dosik's got a point. Since the Suwon match, our team crushed Seoul Byland, Ansan Wolves, and Chungbuk UTD in a row, riding a blistering four-game win streak. We added nine points, hitting 16 total and climbing to third place. From scraping the bottom at ninth—while Suwon Red Motors and Incheon Pelicans duked it out down there—we've risen enough to stab from below.
My stats: 9 games, 5 goals, 8 assists. Pretty satisfying. Outrageous? Maybe. But at this pace, Assist King is within reach. Paulo, my two-top partner up front, has 8 goals and 1 assist, neck-and-neck in the scoring race. Behind us, Chaewoo's riding high with 3 goals and 4 assists, putting in solid work.
"Munt, let's do some one-on-ones while we warm up. I'll go easy on ya."
"Hyung's at it again."
Right on cue, Donghan hyung drops a menacing line, blocked by Dojin hyung. Compared to early days, we're way tighter now. Donghan seemed a bit wary of Dojin at first. Must be the results? Lately, those two pair as central defenders, posting killer numbers. Just one goal conceded since Suwon. Defense stabilizing means goal difference improving too. With Kvirin Moll locking down central mid, the team's grown overall.
Lost in these thoughts, the bus pulls into the stadium.
"Hyung, we're here. You coming?"
"Huh? Already? Uh... yeah, be right out. Go on ahead."
I leave Junkyung hyung looking deep in thought and head out first. Today's a home game against Hwaseong Aliens. Lately, second-division's sprouting pro teams like mushrooms: Gimpo Green UTD, Chungbuk UTD, Cheongju Skies, now Hwaseong Aliens taking the baton. Should be an easy one?
"Yes, hello everyone. K-League 2 Round 10: Gimpo Green UTD vs. Hwaseong Aliens, underway now."
"Hwaseong's practically a new squad, right?"
"Yes, but with Chai Il, ex-youth coach at Seoul Dongdaemun FC, at the helm, they're no raw pros. Showing real team cohesion despite ninth place—way beyond expectations!"
"But Gimpo's momentum is fierce. 4 wins, 1 draw in last five. Four straight since Suwon, sitting third now."
"Exactly. Key will be how Hwaseong handles Olmunt and Paulo."
Hmm... hmmm... ughhhh... Why isn't the ball coming? Even Messi or Ronaldo needs service. I'm not even pressing narrow off-ball. So why this absurd quagmire for the first 20 minutes?
Probably my partial rotation today. Hwaseong Aliens base on 4-4-2: tight pressing, double defensive lines to block, counter with foreigners. Easier said than done. If every lower-table team nailed park-the-bus counters, no top teams would exist. Usually, something cracks—coaching issues, whatever—leading to relegation. Most second-division sides have been there.
Hwaseong doesn't execute perfectly every game. Freshly pro, Chai Il lacks experience. But when dice roll six...
"Huff... huff..."
Chatty Kvirin Moll's gasping like he's dying. No bad Munich jabs about pressure escapes. Hellish for low-mobility guys like him. Five years younger, it'd be fine—but at 37, fresh pups gnashing teeth wear you down.
Tweet! Whistle stops play. Paulo fouled on the leg. Weird phrasing, but whatever. Ignore protesting Paulo's WWE antics; approach Kvirin aging a year per minute.
"You okay? If you can't hold, I can drop deeper."
"Huff... Played Munich... huff... this is... huff... nothing... Back when I was at Munich..."
Seems fine. Munich tales even mid-suffocation.
"Cool, heading back."
"Stop. Mark their 8 and 5."
"Both? I'm solo here?"
I stare baffled; he bolts. "Paulo's busy. You're the Viking."
But I drop and run more than Paulo already. What more...?
Staring down Hwaseong mids in frustration, bench buzzes with instructions during the break.
"Junkyung, keep it simple. Too much thinking."
"Snap out of it, Junkyung."
More scolding than coaching. Unavoidable. Junkyung bears big blame for getting overrun. Chaewoo should've started, but minor injury benches him. Wanted link-up play, but Junkyung's turning it over like Miguel flashbacks.
Hwaseong pins immobile Kvirin with young hounds, slashing side-switch passes. Plus Chaewoo hyung, Junkyung hyung struggling pressure—especially Junkyung. Like limbs severed.
Against this sticky swamp soccer...
...conceding first changes everything. Instantly exhausting. Hwaseong parks a double bus in front. Need the ball to do anything. Kvirin's erased. Chaewoo hyung battles double-marks. Junkyung's a dark templar.
Just Paulo and me suffering. Me especially. I'm link-up focused: drop receive, create space. Paulo's stiff for a Brazilian, highlights it. Viking-style rampage anyway.
While Paulo twitches between defenders on rare chances (excuse or not), I drop to Kvirin, receive, relay, pass to Chaewoo or Junkyung hyung, then surge. Overwhelming even described; worse in motion. Unintentional "do-it-all" soccer?
Ran like a dog, but threats? Maybe once, saved by keeper. Trailing 1-0 drags frustratingly. Halftime ends emptily.
"Huff... huff..."
That much running for drama?
"Olmunt... not everyone runs like you."
Damn. Eyes betrayed my thoughts. But don't want this from a guy twitching in defense all 45.
"Fuck..."
"When'd you learn that?"
"Dunno. Felt right."
Newly Korean Kvirin and Paulo; head to locker room buddy-buddy.
"Everyone lost it? Run like crap then wanna rest? Drag like this against Hwaseong till tomorrow?"
Regret the buddy act? Coach's roar shakes the room. Draining against Hwaseong spells trouble. No Chaewoo, Donghan hyung... Wait, Donghan collected yellows for Incheon Pelicans prep, sat.
Coach's ire targets subs Hantae hyung and Junkyung hyung.
"Overthinking? Look at them—just do the job. How many in their squad kicked as many balls as you vets? Losing okay?"
Hantae and Junkyung dying inside, especially Junkyung—face blank even post-scolding. No spark heading to second half.
"Junkyung hyung okay?"
Even rival Chaewoo asks gingerly. Says it all.
"Dunno. But after that dressing-down, he'll snap to."
Hope so. Lemme touch the ball.
Tweet!
"Olmunt. I want ball too."
Damn. Lately, desperate prayers flop. Ignore puppy-eyed Paulo; eye lonely Junkyung shuffling to bench. Chaewoo high-fives him lightly, enters pitch. Sorry hyung, but antacids kicking in.
Chaewoo immediately skins fullback-winger tandem with silky dribble. ~10 minutes left. Tie feasible; win maybe.
"Uwaaaah!"
Ignore hyped Paulo on rare chance; position near defenders, raise hand.
"Hey! Chaewoo!"
My booming voice tenses defenders marking me. Hwaseong's young. Their edge so far; now flaw. Chaewoo meets eyes, lofts huge cross. All focus me. I feint run briefly. Ball overshoots head, settles on Paulo's.
Splat! Goal.
Regretful glares my way, but innocent. Jealous? Mark Paulo then.
Bask in equalizer joy with Paulo, Chaewoo—till Junkyung hyung catches my eye on bench. No celebration, just sighs. Not his usual self; lately more desperate. Something up?