Unbeatable Victory (7)
Everyone's eyes were fixed on me. The players' stares, the coaches' gazes, and most of all, the burning gaze of Guardian Coach.
*Haa... This is really troublesome.*
But hesitation here wasn't for Elizabeth's sake.
Since I already had the precious Da-min in my life, I had to answer her brave confession with honesty.
"Elizabeth... I already have someone I'm dating."
Elizabeth blinked blankly at my answer.
She probably hadn't expected rejection at all.
Well, that made sense. She was truly beautiful.
*'Da-min is way prettier, though...'*
"**JUNG TAE-WOO!**"
Guardian Coach's voice roared across the training ground.
The coaches were holding him back, but his rage had clearly crossed the breaking point.
"Do you dare to steal my daughter right now? She's an Oxford medical student! Do you know how amazing our Elizabeth is? Top of the class, volunteer work every week, and she won a national piano competition! Where exactly is she lacking, I wonder..."
Guardian Coach's voice grew louder and louder.
The hurt of a father whose daughter had been rejected was pouring out.
"Hahaha..."
I let out a troubled laugh and looked at him.
*'Last time he was ready to kill me if I dated her, but now he's threatening to kill me if I don't?'*
In my mind, Da-min's face appeared. No matter how perfect Elizabeth was, my heart was already full of Da-min.
"...I didn't know you were a fan, but still, I'm a fan because of you, Tae-woo player. Thanks to you, my dad always smiles."
Guardian Coach's heavy air on the training ground slowly lightened with Elizabeth's words. The coach who had been furious looked stunned and cleared his throat at his daughter's words.
"Ahem... When have I ever laughed like that..."
"The training atmosphere got ruined because of me. I'm sorry."
"Haha, don't worry. People can't always get what they want, right?"
Mathias, standing beside me, quickly stepped in to lighten the heavy mood.
Elizabeth opened her mouth again.
"Still, Tae-woo player..."
"Hm?"
"I won't give up."
I answered with an ambiguous smile instead of words. Elizabeth, not expecting that, laughed brightly at my response.
"This guy..."
It sounded like a small mutter from the coach, but I deliberately ignored it. Turning my head toward him would only cause bigger trouble.
"Haha, I'll head back now! Dad, I came because the players looked so great, I missed them so much. They all seem like really good guys. I'll cheer for you in the next game. Fighting!"
Elizabeth took a cute fighting pose with her bright smile and waved at the training ground before turning away.
"Dad, take me home."
"...Okay."
Guardian Coach sighed deeply, walked beside her, then suddenly turned toward us. His eyes were sharp, nothing like his usual charismatic self.
"You all, keep running on the training ground."
The players wanted to say something, but they kept their mouths shut and started running. Right now, in this moment, if I rebuked Guardian Coach while he was this low because of his daughter's confession, I would be in serious trouble.
And everyone shot me pitiful looks.
*'Poor guy... Being good-looking doesn't mean it's always good things.'*
*'Yeah, exactly like me. If you're too handsome, it actually gets hard.'*
I let out a deep sigh and continued running in silence.
Even as my feet moved, Elizabeth's last expression kept flashing in my mind.
*'Still, it's a relief... She didn't seem hurt.'*
***
Peter Guardian watched his daughter's back as she walked ahead, his face full of worry.
His daughter was, beyond the stereotypical "daddy's girl" image, perfect in every way.
She was smart enough to pass Oxford medical school, and she excelled in every subject, from academics to the arts. She also had a warm heart that helped others.
Looking at his perfect daughter, Guardian Coach felt annoyed that Tae-woo had rejected her... yet at the same time, he was grateful.
Because if Da-min was dating someone, he probably wouldn't be able to focus on the remaining two games of the season.
But even as that thought crossed his mind, his brows furrowed again as he looked at his daughter's retreating back.
She had never even dated before. His daughter, who had mustered up the courage to confess in front of all the players, was rejected... How heartbroken she must feel.
"Elizabeth... are you okay?"
He asked cautiously, concern heavy in his voice.
No matter how tough she pretended to be, the trembling of her shoulders was visible to her father.
Elizabeth stopped walking and turned around.
In that instant, my heart dropped.
Tears were already welling up in the corners of her eyes.
"A... Dad... I..."
Finally, the tears she had held back broke free.
My always proud and bold daughter was sobbing like a child.
I was startled. Just a moment ago she had smiled brightly and greeted me, and I thought she would be fine, but I never expected her to break down like this.
I quickly pulled her into my arms.
"It's okay... it's okay..."
"I... I really liked him..."
Elizabeth's shoulders shook with her sobs. I patted her back silently. A pain bloomed in the corner of my heart.
*'This guy... I will never forgive him.'*
"It's okay, our daughter is a thousand times, a hundred thousand times more precious than that guy. It's okay..."
Still...
Tae-woo guy.
A deep sigh escaped me for a moment.
At least, I could admit that he had been honest with my daughter.
He hadn't hidden the fact that he had a girlfriend and had told her right away.
If he had a girlfriend but was still hiding it and met Elizabeth...
A chill ran down my spine.
If that had happened, I don't know what I would have done...
I might have forgotten everything about being a coach or whatever.
Of course, right now, the priority was comforting my daughter.
"Dad also... cried a lot because of love."
Elizabeth looked up at me with her tear-stained face.
"Really...?"
"Yeah. When your mom rejected me... I couldn't study properly for a whole month."
"Dad...? You had that happen?"
Elizabeth's sobs gradually quieted.
I gently stroked her head.
"I could say it while smiling now, but back then... it felt like the world had ended."
Elizabeth's tears stopped.
She was now looking at me with curious eyes.
"Then... how did you... with Mom..."
I smiled faintly for a moment.
"Your dad and I... were ultimately destined to be together, right?"
I wiped the last tear from the corner of her eye.
"If you overcome this pain and move on, you'll definitely meet your destiny, Elizabeth. Dad is sure of it."
"Hmm... It would have been nice if Tae-woo player was my destiny."
"Don't be ridiculous! That guy is never happening!"
"Hi hi hi"
At the sound of Elizabeth's laughter, a sigh of relief escaped me.
She wasn't completely okay yet, but seeing her able to laugh made me think she was improving.
*'Now, how should I deal with that guy...'*
I'm grateful he answered honestly...
But I can never forgive him for hurting my daughter's heart.
The next day at the training ground
"Waaah! Save me, Coach!"
"Tae-woo, stop right there!"
It was said that unusually intense 'one-on-one training' was happening on the field today. Especially, the long scream of one goalkeeper had become a hot topic.
***
[**Woooah! Tae-woo is back! Manchester City's goal is solid again!**]
[**This... This is an unspeakable save! Just like Lucan's incredible defensive orchestration in the last Chelsea match, Tae-woo's unbelievable save show today! Brandtford's decisive chance... No, wait, it's a goal, but Tae-woo saves it again! How is this even possible?**]
[**Did you rest and then fly like that? Tae-woo player is really flying today!**]
How could a goalkeeper fly?
In today's match, I wasn't just defending — I was perfectly orchestrating attacks as well.
I had joined pass plays multiple times, avoiding the penalty area, and sometimes even ventured up near the half-line to become the starting point of an attack.
The opponents' footsteps had already become heavy.
Despair was clear in their eyes.
The scoreboard's 4-0 score was clearly showing how one-sided the game had been.
*'Resting helped.'*
It was true that a full rest had made my body feel much lighter.
[**Tae-woo's kick crosses the half-line again! This time with Guerrero's incredible connection!**]
On the bench, Lucan, watching everything, couldn't help but smile.
Every move of Tae-woo's was like watching a work of art.
"Are you okay?"
A voice from beside me made me turn. It was Mathias.
"Ah, captain. What are you talking about?"
"We have two games left... If both games are starting with you starting today and tomorrow, you'll get angry."
"Um, no. That spot is already mine anyway."
It was true.
Lucan was actually watching the game with admiration.
For a goalkeeper to play like this? Tae-woo was showing a new possibility I never could have imagined.
Moreover...
A new dream had been born in him.
"Captain."
"Yeah?"
"Do you know what Oliver said about the match?"
Mathias tilted his head curiously.
"Oliver is your son, right? Hmm... He said it was cool?"
A warm smile spread across Lucan's lips.
"He called me a magician. 'The soccer magician's players move where I point my hand'... So, I want to become a real magician."
"A magician... meaning a coach?"
"Yeah. My dream now is to be Manchester City's coach."
Lucan looked at the pitch for a moment, then added.
"While I'm still a player, I'll teach Tae-woo everything I know... and learn a lot from the coach... Later, I want to lead him myself."
"If anyone can, it's you."
Mathias's words were sincere. Lucan's match analysis and defensive orchestration skills had already matched a coach's.
[**Manchester City defeats Brentford 4-0! The remaining game is just one!**]
[**If they win only the Nottingham match, Manchester City's historic first unbeaten title will be achieved!**]
The commentators' excited voices echoed across the stadium.
Lucan, sitting on the bench, clenched his fist without realizing it.
He wanted to write the next page of the new history being created by Tae-woo, together with him.
Not as a player, but as a coach.
Dreaming of that day, Lucan looked back at the pitch one more time.