Leo the Specialist (4)
The second patient at the illustrious Olmunt Clinic has arrived. His name is Yoo Minsu. Impressive that he slipped in despite the doctors' strike. I wanted to soak up some sun before the heat got any worse... but honestly, I have a pretty good idea why he's calling me a specialist. Why he's come to me for advice. It's probably because of Sunbae Junkyung's interview. While everyone else is obsessed with the marriage news, there's always one person who sees the truth.
But there's one thing Minsu seems to have completely misunderstood.
"So, what do I need to fix? That linkage thing you mentioned? Relaxing my power?"
He thinks, just like Sunbae Junkyung, that fixing one specific flaw will make him play better. But Sunbae Junkyung was a veteran striker bouncing between first and second divisions even before joining Gimpo. In other words, he already had the basics down. He just snapped out of trying to play a style that didn't suit him. It wasn't like he suddenly switched from dribbling to linkage play overnight.
But if he ignores all that and begs me to "save" him, what am I supposed to do? He should go talk to the coach. That's what I was about to say, organized and polite-like. But then...
"Hyuuung... save meee, waaah!"
He's bawling his eyes out. How am I supposed to respond to that? And I can't exactly stab a fresh-faced 20-year-old with something like, "You have no talent, so my advice won't help anyway." I'm not that heartless.
"What's going on, Minsu."
I have a rough idea already. Still, I asked calmly, to hear his story.
"Do I really have to retire like this? What should I do? I haven't played in a month! Does that make any sense? If I keep this up, they'll release me from the team—what then? I want to play matches too..."
No surprise there. Shouldn't have even asked. I need a moment to think. Is there some solid advice for Minsu?
"Yoo. I don't get what you're saying. Speak slowly."
"Sniff. Huhk. Wait. Just a sec. I'll... I'll calm down and explain."
That buys me one turn. Now to come up with something helpful while he explains slowly. As I pondered, Minsu laid out his situation—politely, even. Sorry to say, I didn't really listen. I just nodded at the right moments while brainstorming. Harsh, maybe, but he seems to need solutions to change his situation, not just sympathy. Like looking in a mirror of my own past? Makes my heart soften a bit.
"I know I'm being a total burden. Even if there's no solution, it's okay. I just... wanted to ask. Sunbae Junkyung said in the interview he got help from you, Hyung."
Time's up. Gotta say it now. It's a band-aid fix, but it should keep him alive on this team for a few years. He'll figure out the rest later. Survival is the top priority for a player like Yoo Minsu.
"First off. Honestly, Minsu, you don't have much talent."
His shoulders slumped the instant he heard it. Couldn't be helped. He needs to accept that for my words to carry weight.
"But you can be a valuable part of the team."
Simple truth. Minsu's eyes lit up immediately. I whipped out YouTube and played a video.
"Oh, that snail's cute?"
Uh? Wrong one. I accidentally hit the snail video I watched before bed last night. Grabbed the phone again and pulled up the right one: Ronaldo's goal clip.
Everyone else freezes when another player's shot is blocked, but Ronaldo charges in alone. The keeper saves, but he smashes the rebound into the net.
"Hmm... not sure what this means. Gotta get lucky?"
Yeah, figured he wouldn't get it. Time to spoon-feed.
"No. Run hard."
"But I always run hard."
Already interrupting before I'm done. Classic MG energy. Suppressing the urge to channel my inner Confucian kid, I continued. Speaking haltingly makes convincing people tough.
"Harder. Run like you're dying. Make the opponent panic in that moment. You run hard, but you're too scared. You're tensing up unnecessarily."
Minsu still looked confused. Kept going before he could interrupt again.
"Energy level matters. Trust me once. Run like hell, and the energy will carry you when it's needed. Run harder, like you're dying. Then chances will come."
He seems to be getting it now. Tough process.
"Will the chance come soon?"
"If you run hard, it'll come eventually."
"Thanks, Hyung. I wanted to ask the coach, but at this... age, it's hard."
Makes sense. Explains why he came to me. Even I'm scared of one-on-ones with Coach.
"It was childish whining, but thanks for listening, Olmunt Hyung. Thinking about what you said, I realize I haven't really run like my life depended on it on the pitch. I'll give it a shot, like you said!"
Minsu left with a resolute expression. His own little awakening? Hope it works out.
Once his fiery determination faded away, I realized how drained I was. Lately, I've been feeling Hamel's mood. Gotta start carrying textbooks around tomorrow. Or regret not faking fluency in Korean back then.
Why does K League 2 play during international breaks? Please, just give us a few solid weeks off. I'd use studying as an excuse to speak like a native.
That was supposed to be the end of Minsu's consultation. Until Heemun collapsed at the Gimpo stadium.
"Argh!"
FC Cheonnam match, 30th minute of the first half. A sharp cry echoed.
"Heemun, you okay? Can you get up?"
Sunbae Donghan rushed over, but...
"Ugh... can't get up."
Heemun clutched his leg in agony. Play stopped immediately. Medics swarmed to check him. He limped off to applause—he'd just notched his debut assist, so it must sting.
The game ended without drama: 3-0 Gimpo win.
"Olmunt, Heemun's okay?"
"Don't know."
"You brought him—shouldn't you know?"
Ignoring Eunsang's nonsense, I waited for my phone alert.
Ding!
Phew... Follow-up said it was just muscle shock. Lucky it wasn't serious.
Wait... does that mean Minsu starts next game for sure?
I'd predicted a chance for him—Heemun might tire out stamina-wise. Didn't expect it like this. Now he's forced to play whether he likes it or not.
In all subsequent training, Minsu was insanely tense. Even with words from Sunbae Chaewoo or Dojin, or encouragement from coaches. He'd force a smile, sweat buckets, tense up, and make mistakes galore. Because his debut was locked in?
I approached to say something. Spotting me, Minsu stammered then blurted:
"Olmunt Hyung, is this some Swedish black magic? I mean, even so, witchcraft is..."
Thwack! Does he think I'm a Viking shaman? Hallucinating mushrooms or what? Knifed his forehead with a hand chop.
"No."
"Yes, sir..."
Little red bump now. Might help his headers—higher contact point.
Anyway. Was he really that worried? Thought he jinxed Heemun?
Watching Minsu fly around after, I chuckled wryly. Guilt over some imagined curse kept him tense. Forgivable, except treating me like a Viking witch doctor.
I ignored him clutching his head mid-training and got back to work.
Time flew to the Gyeongnam Twin Tower FC match.
"Phew... I'm really playing, right?"
"Say that again and I'll kill you."
"Yes, sir!"
Anxious Minsu even made Eunsang serious. Note to self. Dojin and Chaewoo Sunbaes already snuck away—Eunsang's no different.
"I can really debut this time, right?"
"Debut?"
"Play in the match?"
"Match?"
"Should I stop asking?"
"Yeah. Kickoff soon."
Tweet!
Round 13 vs. Gyeongnam Twin Tower FC began. Their coach, veteran Jang Jaewhan, reminded me of Jeju's Sim Hyeonjae—stifling ten-back.
"Olmunt. We're up 3-0, right? Didn't I get a hat-trick?"
Paulo looks insane, but isn't. He'd hammered shots from in front forever, but nothing went in. Godly keeper saves, defenders throwing bodies. They couldn't block everything, so we conceded one—but somehow it's tied?
We dominated, yet the scoreboard read 1-1.
"How'd they even score...? I don't remember. Wasn't that my assist earlier? Am I losing it?"
Eunsang's on the brink too. Probably his 7th assist wasted?
"Eighth one's going in. Hang in there!"
Chaewoo Sunbae—one of the assist culprits—probably didn't help Eunsang's mentality.
75th minute. Paulo, mentally shattered first, subbed for stability. With Lee Eunjae. In came Kvirin Moll and Minsu, stepping on grass after ages.
Minsu tense at first, then found his rhythm, bouncing around. More press talent than I thought—cracking build-ups, forcing turnovers.
"Urk!"
Thud! Diving for fouls too. Boosting front-line energy, nailing his role.
Gimpo, mired in swamp soccer, surged again. One more push to win. Shots grazed bars or got blocked.
Whump! Dojin Sunbae's long pass to Minsu dropped awkwardly for their defense.
"Minsu, stick to it!"
Minsu, running like he'd shatter, barreled in.
Tweet! Gyeongnam fouled to stop him. Prime free-kick spot.
"Minsu, ~~~"
"Munich-style free-kick. 'Good job,' he says."
"Sounds super summarized."
Kvirin—Munich Uncle—takes it. Sees late-sub Junkyung Sunbae, lofts it. Sunbae wins the duel, heads to me.
I twist awkwardly; Gyeongnam defenders scatter. Blessed physique. Shield the ball, low drive post-ward. Tough angle for reverse steps.
Usually. But...
"Woooah!"
Ansan's keeper—saved us ~7 times today—twisted to block. Regular time nearly up. Sighs everywhere.
Then a shadow zipped past me. Net rippled.
Yoo Minsu. Just like Ronaldo's clip—pushing in the keeper's rebound.
"See that? See? Debut goal! Debut goaaal! Waaah!"
Minsu bawled, jumped on me. We dogpiled him, celebrating debut and winner.
Tough win over Gyeongnam adds another unbeaten. Should be safe in summer window, whatever happens.