Nervous for the First Time
The flames of fire ignited in the eyes of the players upon remembering Castillo’s cooking. Everyone pressed forward as if they were staking their lives on it, and Arsenal was forced back.
Guerrero and Mathias each scored one goal, sealing the victory.
“I should have done this sooner… Huh, I almost had a big problem there.”
At that moment my head had heated up, and I yelled, but after coming to my senses I was sweating inside.
Once I won, I would have to eat that horrific food.
After the match Peter Guardian tapped my shoulder and laughed.
“If you hadn’t been there today, it would have been tough.”
As he said, my save show became the dividing line of the game, and naturally the MOM was mine.
Especially the play of blocking the penalty kick defense and the subsequent rebound shots was decisive.
After the game I humbly distributed the credit to my teammates in the interview, but everyone knew that the win in this match was due most to me.
But what stirred the largest wave in Korea that day was separate from that, and that was the interview with Arsenal manager Michael Brown right after the match ended.
“Manager, you lost to this City team in the match. What do you think the reason was?”
When I heard those words, Michael Brown pondered for a moment before continuing.
“Tactics are important in football. Some try to decide the match by possession, and others by counter-attack. A great striker sometimes shows plays that surpass tactics.”
He looked around at the reporters once, then continued with a serious expression.
“But today… today was different. I’ve been in the football world for twenty years, and this is the first time I’ve seen it. A goalkeeper dominating the entire match.”
Jung Tae-woo is not just a goalkeeper. He is…”
“Then does that mean you think Jung Tae-woo’s presence is the reason for the match’s defeat?”
“Have you reporters not seen it? He neutralized all our tactics, and turned all our efforts into bubbles. A manager who can coach him in the team is truly a blessed person. I’m so envious of Peter Guardian.”
The statement from a manager of a prestigious Premier League club shook Korea in an instant.
The interview, which evaluated an 18-year-old goalkeeper as a player beyond world-class, lifted the pride of Korean football fans to the max.
Especially his words “for the first time in twenty years” were reproduced countless times as memes, dominating the internet, and domestic sports news rushed to headline “Premier League prestigious manager also recognized Jung Tae-woo’s skill.”
Overseas football experts also began to release analyses of my game performance one after another.
Especially on the popular British football talk show Monday Night Football, Manchester United’s hero Michael Henderson and Manchester City’s eternal captain Leo analyzed my play for nearly twenty minutes.
“Now, look at this scene.”
Henderson paused the screen and drew arrows as he said.
“Look at Jung Tae-woo’s action. He slightly leaned his body to the left while spreading his fingers to the right.”
“At first glance it looks like a simple movement, but for the kicker it puts enormous psychological pressure. He subtly conveys the message ‘I know the direction you intend to kick’.”
Henderson stopped the screen at my expression in the moment I kicked the penalty kick and continued.
“Look here. His gaze was already aimed to the right, and he had prepared to move his body.”
“He had thought to run to the right no matter where the opponent kicked. It was an enormous prediction ability and victory in psychological warfare. Not to mention the super save that followed.”
After finishing his words, Henderson turned to Leo beside him.
“Leo, as the legend of City, please tell me your evaluation of this young goalkeeper. Your words would give him great strength, wouldn’t they.”
Leo gave an awkward smile and waved his hand.
“Now, what meaning would the words of a retired player have…”
“Everyone, do you believe it?”
Henderson turned to the audience.
“The man who once devastated us in the Manchester Derby is now acting so humble… Do you know how many times I’ve lost sleep because of this man?”
The studio became laughter as the two legendary players exchanged meaningful glances.
Once rivals in Manchester, they were now comrades watching the growth of younger players as football experts.
“If Henderson says all that, I should say something too.”
Leo pondered for a moment.
He knew well.
What effect his words could have on his position at City and what waves they could cause.
If he criticized someone among the current City players, that player would receive enormous backlash from fans.
Of course he had no intention of real criticism, but he knew his influence was still tremendous.
That was why he always chose his words carefully about City players.
But he opened his mouth when he found something similar in Tae-woo.
“Henderson’s analysis is also good, but from the goalkeeper’s perspective let me explain that scene.”
“Oh, from the goalkeeper’s viewpoint it looks different? I was speaking from the striker’s perspective.”
“If I were in that situation, that action would have a meaning.”
“What meaning?”
“It was correct that I thought to run to the right. But that meant I was confident I could block even if the ball came from the left.”
“Huh? But your body was all leaning to the right?”
Leo smiled slightly and leaned his body forward.
“As I see it, this is it. Leaning the body as much as possible to the left…”
Leo pointed at the screen with his finger and continued.
“Even if the prediction was off, I wanted to leave the opportunity. To the right…”
He shrugged his shoulders with a relaxed smile.
“Well, you just have to run and catch it.”
In his words was the veteran’s relaxedness that had protected goalposts for decades, and the unique self-confidence only a genius goalkeeper could possess.
“Hah… that’s why they are called geniuses…”
Henderson shook his head back and forth as he said.
“No, Henderson. Aren’t you a genius too?”
“Hahaha”
“Then, in Leo’s thought, do you think Tae-woo can break your record?”
When people mention Leo’s legendary record, they mention countless things, but at this moment the record the host was talking about was only one.
Precisely the Premier League consecutive clean sheet record.
A staggering 16 matches without conceding a goal.
Leo’s record, close to impossible, had remained a legend in the Premier League for over ten years without anyone breaking it.
“Haha, I don’t know about that either. It’s skill, but luck is also needed a lot, right.”
“Indeed, it’s an unbelievable record.”
Leo pondered for a moment, then continued in a serious voice.
“But… if someone breaks that record, I think it would be Tae-woo.”
I almost laughed out loud while watching the broadcast.
Leo’s predicted intention was completely different from reality.
“I thought if he kicked left it would just go in… but…”
While the two were talking, Henderson accurately pointed out my intention, but thanks to Leo’s interpretation I became a genius goalkeeper who seemed to have calculated everything perfectly.
Well, it wasn’t bad.
* * *
At that time, in the SBS music broadcast waiting room, the members of Queendom were waiting for the first stage.
Although it was a rookie group, thanks to the power of a large planning company and the successful debut showcase, they could receive the mid-time slot in the broadcast.
Normally rookie groups usually performed in the early part of the broadcast, so this was quite good treatment.
Of course, being a rookie meant I had to greet the seniors, but there was only excitement rather than fatigue.
“Really, we’re going on music broadcast…”
The excitement was in Mina’s voice.
“Th-that, so don’t be nervous! U-uh… we practiced really hard, so if we do as we’ve been doing… we’ll be able to do well!”
I understood that Ji-min was speaking calmly for her younger siblings like the eldest.
“Noona, you seem the most nervous here.”
Yuna’s words were not wrong.
Ji-min was trembling more than anyone among the four of them.
Anyone would think an earthquake had hit her body.
“I-I’m fine! It’s just because I’m a little cold…”
Ji-min rubbed her arms and made an excuse.
“The air conditioner isn’t on?”
“…”
Ji-min closed her mouth.
It only made her awkward excuse more embarrassing.
“Ji-min noona said well, and it’s our first music broadcast, so let’s do our best. We did practice really hard!”
Everyone nodded at Yuna’s words.
“It’s enviable… I also want to not be nervous like you.”
“I was nervous too.”
“Eh? Really?”
Mina said as if surprised.
It was hard to believe that even Yuna noona, who always maintained calmness, was nervous.
“Of course. First times are always nervous.”
Everyone fell silent for a moment at Yuna’s words.
The weight given by the word “first” settled deep in my heart.
Years of trainee life, days and nights of practice, time in the practice room soaked with sweat…
All those moments were for this “first.”
“Queendom, standby in three minutes!”
The PD’s shout made the four of us look at each other.
Both Ji-min’s trembling, Yuna’s nervousness, Mina’s anxiety, and Da-min’s excitement were all aimed at the same place.
“Let’s just do what we’ve been doing.”
Ji-min calmed her trembling voice and said.
Now her voice carried the firmness of the eldest.
“Let’s go.”
While the members went out one by one from the waiting room,
Da-min remained behind for a moment.
She took out her phone with trembling hands and looked at the background screen.
It was a photo of Tae-woo.
Whenever she was tired from practice,
Whenever she was nervous, she secretly looked at that photo.
“Tae-woo, I’ll do well and come back. Cheer for me.”
After whispering as if to herself, Da-min put her phone in her bag.
She checked her reflection in the mirror one last time, took a deep breath.
Now it had really begun. The first music broadcast. The stage she had dreamed of so much was right in front of her eyes.
“Da-min, we’re late!”
“Yes, unnie.”