Chapter 51
Chapter 51
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: Bolton, You See (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you!
Black-Haired Tactical Genius
Chapter 51: Bolton, You See (3)
Fortunately, it wasn't long before Jeong-woo managed to shake off the kids.
With interviews lined up with reporters about the next season, Charlotte Emma had come by just like always.
"Huff, huff! Whew!"
Jeong-woo knelt on the floor in one corner of his office, catching his breath.
The human body was more fragile than he'd thought.
Just two little kids wrapping their arms around his neck had sent him to heaven for a moment.
"Heaven's full of pretty girls too..."
"What did you just say?"
Emma, who had deftly calmed the children, suddenly approached and asked.
Jeong-woo flinched and gave an awkward smile as he got up from his spot.
"No, nothing."
"You just said 'pretty girls.'"
"Who? Me? You must have misheard."
For some reason, it felt like he had to deny it.
"No, I clearly heard it with both ears...!"
Emma, eyeing him suspiciously, couldn't finish her sentence.
Squeeze—!
Jeong-woo and Emma's gazes both dropped downward at the same time.
In that moment, Cyrus Muamba had grabbed the hem of Emma's skirt with his tiny hand.
"Really...?"
Muamba asked, his eyes brimming with tears.
"Bolton really won't disappear? Owner brother stays here forever?"
Jeong-woo gave a troubled smile.
A moment ago, he'd been too flustered to firmly say no, and now that things had progressed, the words wouldn't come easily.
He was still agonizing over it.
Now, Emma's sparkling green eyes were fixed on him too.
Without realizing it, Jeong-woo took a hesitant step back.
Not just Emma and Muamba—even the kids behind them were looking up at him with faces on the verge of tears.
Strangely, it was so hard to lie in front of children.
"I...!"
That was when it happened.
Slide—!
Emma, who had been staring straight at Jeong-woo, gracefully knelt down in front of Cyrus Muamba.
Muamba's big eyes widened even more.
Emma gently cupped his cheek with one slender hand and spoke softly.
"The owner risked his life for our Bolton. So don't worry."
"Really...?"
"Of course."
"Waaah...! Yay!"
Those few words were enough.
Muamba met Emma's unwavering gaze and broke into a bright smile.
Whether he sensed the truth in her eyes, Jeong-woo couldn't tell.
Her back was to him, after all.
More than that...
'Emma.'
Jeong-woo thought, gazing at her slender silhouette.
There had been a time when rumors spread like wildfire among the staff about how he'd staked his life on the club.
And now, Jeong-woo narrowed his eyes.
'The culprit was right here.'
* * *
Park Hee-won had initially thought Jeong-woo would leave the club as planned.
He had slight doubts about whether the sale would go exactly as desired, sure.
"Ha, this guy."
Even as he walked down the hallway, Hee-won tilted his head with a puzzled expression.
"No matter how I look at it... something's off."
By now, they should be able to proceed with the sale, but Jeong-woo was still hesitating.
"Maybe he got tempted after seeing Sunderland sell."
That sounded just like something Jeong-woo would do.
In three years, a club worth around 40 billion won had skyrocketed to 160 billion.
Jeong-woo’s ears had practically perked up like a puppy's toward the radio speaker—that moment was still vivid.
"Well, at that price, even I'd be tempted."
That was when it happened.
Halt—!
Hee-won's footsteps stopped dead as he headed for Jeong-woo's office.
"Owner!"
"Oh, Evelyn. Hot day, isn't it?"
"Hehe, sure is."
Jeong-woo, just stepping out of his office, flashed a bright smile at a passing staff member who called out to him.
The two walked side by side down the hallway, chatting amiably.
"Owner, thank you so much for the gift last time. My husband said all his fatigue vanished after eating it. He wants to treat you to a meal sometime."
"Oh, I'd love that. How's Dennis doing?"
"My son's been whining, 'Owner uncle, Owner uncle.' He wants to pitch a tent in your office and play again."
Step.
Naturally, Hee-won followed behind them.
How far had he trailed?
Before long, Jeong-woo had run into another staff member—not Evelyn—and struck up a conversation.
"Thompson. Not going on vacation?"
"Hello, Owner. I'm heading out tomorrow. Shouldn't you rest a bit too?"
"Well, with you handling facilities management so diligently, I'm always resting."
"Your under-eye circles are still pitch black."
"This is congenital."
"My eyes don't lie. And the meat you sent last time was delicious. The family said to thank you on their behalf."
"Heh, no big deal... How's Nikki?"
"Oh, yeah. She's been nagging to do the staff experience again...!"
"Hmm, maybe I should run another camping experience event soon."
A few minutes later.
Jeong-woo exchanged greetings one by one with staff he bumped into at the cafeteria.
He blended right in among them, laughing and chatting casually.
"In my eyes... our Jacob seems to have won over Eva."
"Me?"
"Eva's way out of your league, though."
"Oh my, Owner...!"
"Of course, Jacob's manly and reliable, so Eva accepted his proposal. Oh, right—didn't Rocks join the youth academy this time? I guarantee it. He'll lead Bolton to glory before long."
A while later, Jeong-woo ran into Executive Director Richard Geers in the parking lot.
Geers had stopped by the office briefly before heading home for his vacation.
"Owner. Planning to go to Korea during your break?"
Geers asked with a warm smile.
Jeong-woo shrugged.
"Who knows. I don't really have ties there. Probably sticking around England."
"I see. That's a shame."
Geers continued, a touch of concern in his voice.
"You have to rest properly when you rest. That's how you build the strength to tackle another fucking crisis."
"Yeah, to grab that fucking crisis by the horns, I'm planning to stay home all day tomorrow. Anyway, have a great vacation. Let's crush it next season too."
The last person Jeong-woo met was Charlotte Emma.
She too was about to head out on vacation after tidying some documents in her office and stepping into the hallway.
Just then, Jeong-woo happened to stroll by, feigning coincidence.
"Kim B...! I mean, Team Leader?"
"Yes, Owner."
Emma gave a mechanical light bow as always.
Looking at her, Jeong-woo's lips curved into a brighter smile than with anyone else.
"Eva invited me to her place for dinner. Want to come along?"
"Eva's house?"
"Yeah, family dinner. She said I could bring a friend. Honestly, it'd be a bit awkward going alone."
"A friend?"
Emma's reaction held a hint of surprise.
Jeong-woo grinned and nodded.
"From one angle, colleagues and friends. Anyway, you free? If not, someone else..."
"I am!"
Emma raised her voice in haste.
Even putting strength into her eyes.
Then, realizing she'd shouted, she flinched and whipped her head to the side.
"I was just getting hungry anyway."
Jeong-woo looked down at her faintly blushing cheeks with an endearing gaze and pointed down the hallway toward the entrance.
"Alright then. Hop in my car."
And so, Jeong-woo left with Emma.
Left alone in the hallway, Hee-won stood frozen in place for a long while.
He'd seen it clearly.
Jeong-woo interacting with people, wearing a brighter expression than ever.
"Ha, seriously."
Hee-won was dumbfounded.
Had he ever seen such a pure, sunny face back in Korea?
Even digging through memories, he could count those times on one hand.
But today, Jeong-woo had been genuinely delighted and joyful with everyone he met.
It showed in their conversations, in his expressions.
He brimmed with affection for them.
"Tsk tsk."
Hee-won suddenly clicked his tongue.
"If the guys back in Korea saw that, they'd think it was a different person. Just yesterday he was getting called a stork."
Even so, the corners of Hee-won's mouth tugged up meaningfully.
"Club... maybe not sell."
* * *
That day, the players left for vacation.
Some staff did too.
Even so, Jeong-woo stayed in his office.
To him, it was no different from a place that provided food, clothing, and shelter.
And right now, Jeong-woo wore a thoroughly displeased expression.
'No way, fuck this. Sunderland sold for over 160 billion won. And I'm getting what, 60 billion?'
Now he was pissed.
Days had passed, but that day kept replaying in his mind.
On the rainy day, in the car, hearing the former Sunderland owner on the radio say, I hit the lottery!
Of course, he hadn't said that exactly, but that's how it sounded to Jeong-woo's ears.
"Damn it."
Slumped on the sofa, Jeong-woo furrowed his brow.
No matter how he thought about it, this wasn't right.
'It's too unfair.'
One gets 160 billion, the other 60 billion?
Over just one league difference.
Even selling at a bargain, Jeong-woo had expected around 100 billion won.
But all the offers coming in were around 60 billion.
'Are they messing with me?'
After taxes and deductions, it was way less than he'd imagined.
'They call even that price too high and try to haggle it down with bad press...! Fucking hell, the rich ones are the greediest.'
In the old days, it would've sounded like bellyaching from a full stomach.
But after the Sunderland deal, his standards had shot sky-high.
How much time passed like that?
"Hee-won."
"Yeah."
Jeong-woo called to Hee-won, who sat fiddling with his phone on the right.
Hee-won turned to him with a face that said he'd known this was coming.
From the Sunderland thing to how he'd treated people the day before, Hee-won was convinced.
His old friend couldn't easily abandon Bolton.
Just as expected.
Jeong-woo lowered his voice with a stern expression.
"Hee-won. A man, you know, has to aim high at least once in life to be a real man. You think so too?"
"Hmm, makes sense. But why all of a sudden?"
Hee-won played dumb.
Jeong-woo cleared his throat shamelessly and knitted his brow.
"Well, I think a man needs a challenging spirit always. And honestly, I'm too pissed off. My stomach hurts."
"About what?"
"Sunderland. Feels like my bright future, and stopping here seems such a waste."
"So, one more season?"
Hee-won asked, eyes wide.
Jeong-woo nodded with a resolute face.
"Yeah."
He leaned back cockily, elbow on the armrest, and added.
"Look at Bolton's results this season."
"16th place..."
"Not that. My record as manager."
Exactly 11 wins, 3 draws, 4 losses.
Objectively, an astonishing record.
From a Bolton that had managed just 2 wins in over 20 games.
And Jeong-woo was certain.
"See? Even with an imperfect squad, that's the result. If I take the reins again next season, no way we get relegated, right?"
Excitement bubbled up instead.
"If we reinforce in this summer transfer window and carry this form into next season... we could even challenge for promotion, don't you think?"
Suddenly, Hee-won squinted and asked.
"You sure that's it?"
"Huh?"
"Is it really just stomachache from Sunderland making you chase promotion?"
Jeong-woo momentarily floundered, mouth agape in surprise.
Hee-won's eyes gleamed.
'This punk, see? Can't even answer right away!'
As Hee-won smirked slyly, Jeong-woo shot up from his seat.
"Of course! What else?"
"For real?"
Hee-won pressed with a meaningful look that said he didn't buy it.
To deny it, Jeong-woo raised his voice even more.
"Yeah! Even if we don't go up to the Championship, no relegation means the club's value holds! Unless you're a bonehead like Derek Scott! And I'm a hundred times smarter than that guy!"
Finally, he bellowed with fire in his eyes.
"I'm gonna sell Bolton for way more than that Sunderland owner's price!"
And rent an even bigger yacht for the party than his.
Have a great day~
────────────────────────────────────
────────────────────────────────────