Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Not Yet - 1
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“So, nothing hurts?”
“No, nothing.”
“And nothing’s wrong at home?”
“Uh… No, nothing.”
“Good.”
Director Toni, who had been asking me questions while reading some documents, nodded his head.
I sat awkwardly in front of him.
Today is Monday.
I was about to head home after a simple recovery training session when Director Toni called for me.
He said he was doing a simple one-on-one meeting, and today was my turn.
Since I usually had a chat with the director about once a month, I headed to his office without much thought.
And that’s why I’m sitting here so awkwardly.
Putting the documents he was reading into a drawer, the director glanced at me and spoke.
“Do you have anything to do tomorrow evening?”
“Tomorrow evening? Hmm… Not really.”
When I answered, the director nodded.
“That’s good. There’s a match at the Artemio Franchi Stadium at 5 PM tomorrow.”
“Ah, yes.”
“It’s a Coppa Italia round of 64 match. The opponent is a team called Palermo. They’re a Serie B team, but I hear they’re doing well these days.”
“…Yes.”
The Coppa Italia… I heard it’s like Italy’s FA Cup.
As I answered, I must have had a puzzled look on my face, wondering why he was bringing this up, because the director continued.
“I’ll give you the day off from training tomorrow, so go watch that match.”
“…Huh? You’re giving me the day off from training?”
The director nodded.
“Yesterday’s match was pretty intense. It was also your first full 90-minute game. You should take a day to rest.”
“Uh… I’m not to the point where I can’t train.”
“Ahem. If the coach tells you to rest, you rest. Are you thinking of defying me?”
“What? No, of course not.”
When I frantically waved my hands, the director let out a hearty laugh.
Truthfully, the aftereffects of yesterday’s match were still there. The back-and-forth schedule itself was a bit tiring, and on top of that, the match wasn’t easy. Thanks to that, I was so exhausted yesterday that I fell asleep without even seeing Ji-an’s face.
So, it wasn’t that I didn’t want to take a day off… but could I really?
Well, if the coach says to rest, I should rest.
The director, still chuckling, spoke.
“In exchange, I’m giving you a bit of homework. Go watch the match tomorrow and come back with your own thoughts on it.”
“My thoughts on it…”
“Well, freely. What kind of soccer does our team play, things like that are fine. What needs to be supplemented to play better soccer, or what role could I play if I were on the field there. Things like that are also good.”
“Hmm… Ah, yes.”
Thoughts on a match…
Now that I think about it, I’ve never properly watched my own team’s match. I mean a first-team match. I’ve been busy playing in matches myself lately, so I couldn’t watch, but even before that, when I had free time, I never went to the stadium to watch. Even though we get free tickets.
It’s just, how should I put it.
It felt like a place that had nothing to do with me, so I never went.
Well, anyway.
I was thinking I should go watch one this time when the director casually spoke.
“While you’re at it, why don’t you take your girlfriend along?”
“……Huh?”
“Why are you so surprised?”
“Girlfriend… you say?”
“Ah, oh. Was it a secret? That’s what Luca told me.”
…Coach Luca, you betrayed me like this?
I answered, completely dumbfounded.
“She’s not my girlfriend, she’s just a friend…”
“Is that so? I heard you bought her a gift with your first paycheck.”
“Well, that’s… Can’t you buy a gift for a friend… It doesn’t have to be a girlfriend…”
“What did you buy?”
“…Clothes and shoes.”
“Clothes and shoes. Well, you can buy those. You can definitely give clothes and shoes as a gift to a female friend.”
The director said that and then looked at me with a sly grin.
It was a smile that said he knew everything, which made me want to get annoyed for no reason.
“No, it’s… It’s not because she’s a girl. We’ve been friends since we were little, that’s why. I’m also grateful to her for some things…”
“Ah, right. You said you’ve known her since you were in Korea.”
“Yes.”
“But what brought her all the way here?”
In response to the director’s question, I gave him a brief explanation of Ji-an. She was originally studying cooking, and she got a good opportunity and came to Florence to study abroad.
However, upon hearing my explanation, the director raised one eyebrow and smiled again.
“There are better cities than this for studying culinary arts… And she chose Florence, where you are?”
“Right? It’s a strange coincidence.”
“Is that really a coincidence?”
“…?”
What on earth is he trying to say?
If it’s not a coincidence, then what is it…
“Well, anyway. It’s a really good thing to have a good friend nearby. So, I’m just saying you should watch it together.”
“Yes…”
“Alright. Go on. Get some good rest.”
“Okay. Thank you for your hard work.”
I bowed my head and got up from my seat, but the director kept watching me with a strange smile, so I furrowed my brow.
“…Why do you keep smiling?”
“Hm? Nothing, nothing. But, is she really not your girlfriend?”
“Ah, I told you she’s not.”
“You mean not yet?”
“Director…”
“Alright. Don’t get mad. Go on. See you Wednesday.”
“Yes…”
Good grief.
If Ji-an heard this, I’d be the one who looks like a weirdo for no reason.
A girlfriend? She’d hit me if she heard that. “Where do you get off saying weird things like that?” she’d say.
I pouted and left the office.
By the way.
Why are both Coach Luca and Director Toni so interested in other people’s love lives?
Are they entertained by it because they’re both married men?
“Sigh…”
I let out a sigh and headed home.
···
“Bored…”
Kim Ji-woo, lying on her bed fiddling with her phone, let out a sigh. Then, she put her phone by her pillow and pouted.
“……”
…She was bored.
At this time, she would always be messaging or calling Lee Ji-an.
Today, her phone was quiet.
So she had nothing to do and didn’t know what to do.
“Seriously, how tired can she be? Not even enough energy to send a text?”
Ji-woo frowned at the ceiling, then picked up her phone again.
She opened her messenger, but the last message from Ji-an was still from yesterday.
Ji-an: I think I’m just going to go straight to bed today…
Ji-an: I’ll contact you tomorrow…
You said you’d contact me! You said you’d contact me!
I can understand not seeing her yesterday if she was that tired.
But then she should contact me as soon as she wakes up. What is she doing? Not even enough energy to send a quick text?
“Training should have ended by now, right?”
Well, I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt for the morning. She’s probably busy going to school.
She can’t use her phone at school or during training, so I’ll let that slide.
But shouldn’t she contact me as soon as she’s done? Wow, Lee Ji-an has really grown up a lot.
Is she being too neglectful of her one and only friend?
“…Huh?”
Wait a minute.
Her one and only friend…?
Could it be… that she’s not anymore?
“……”
Kim Ji-woo recalled what happened last week.
The people who came to see Ji-an.
Especially the girls who would scream and make a racket every time Ji-an did something.
She had laughed it off when Ji-an said she was popular with her friends, but it was true.
Could it be… that those girls are not leaving her alone at school too? Well, of course. If they’re coming all the way to her matches, they must be acting all buddy-buddy with her at school too. Probably asking to eat together, to hang out in the evening…
“This is ridiculous?”
Ji-woo let out a scoff.
Ji-an hates being bothered. Just imagining those clueless girls pestering her makes her angry without realizing it.
She’s also bad at saying no, so she probably just stammers and can’t tell them to back off.
These girls are seriously…
Thump! Thump!
Ji-woo punched her pillow.
Then, she suddenly hugged the pillow and pouted her mouth.
“……”
Now that she thought about it, the whole situation was ridiculous.
Why was she getting annoyed by herself?
The fact that she was annoyed made her even more annoyed.
This is seriously ridiculous…
“What am I even doing, seriously…”
Just as Ji-woo, slumped over, was tormenting her innocent pillow,
Woo woo woo-
Her phone vibrated.
In an instant, Ji-woo checked her phone with a lightning-fast reaction, and her face immediately brightened.
A message had finally arrived from Ji-an.
Ji-an: So… what are you doing tomorrow evening?
Ji-an: If you have nothing to do, do you want to go watch a match?
Ji-an: The director told me to take a day off from training and go watch it…
Ji-an: Going alone is a bit…
Tomorrow evening!? I don’t have any plans.
She wants to go watch a match together?
Of course, I’d lo…
“…Nope.”
Ji-woo was about to tap the chat window to reply immediately, but she took her finger off the screen.
Then, she buried her face in the pillow and let out a groan.
She couldn’t reply right away because Ji-an was being cheeky.
Well, actually, she didn’t do anything wrong, but… it’s just cheeky. She couldn’t explain why, but it just was.
Also, she had waited so long, and if she replied as soon as the message came, she’d feel like she was losing for some reason…
“……”
Ji-woo waited with her face buried in the pillow. She pinched the pillow, waiting for time to pass, then pouted and lifted her head.
It should be enough by now.
“…It’s only been 4 minutes?”
What? I thought it had been at least 10 minutes.
Ah, whatever. Waiting isn’t my style.
Ji-woo tapped the screen agitatedly and sent a reply.
Me: Nah, pass???
First, I had to play hard to get.
It was time to put her in her place.
Ji-an has been getting too big for her britches lately.
“…Pfft.”
Thinking about Ji-an scratching her head after receiving the message made her snicker.
She’s the type who’s bad at turning people down, so she wouldn’t ask more than twice.
She’d probably reply, “Alright then…”
Then she’d give her an earful.
And she wouldn’t give up right away, would she?
You’re supposed to ask a girl two or three times…
Woo woo woo-
“…Huh?”
However, Ji-woo’s eyes widened when she checked the reply. It wasn’t the answer she had expected.
Ji-an: Why? Let’s go together…
Ji-an: I don’t want to go alone
Ji-an: You’re the only person I can go with…
…Look at this kid?
Wow. I said she’s grown up a lot, and she really has? Then how about this?
Me: Why am I the only one
Me: You have school friends
Me: Go with them
Let’s see how she handles this.
Ji-an: They’re a bit of a hassle…
Ji-an: We’re not that close
Ji-an: Anyway, it’s because you’re the only one 😭
“……”
“You’re the only one”?
At those words, Ji-woo raised one corner of her mouth and shook her head.
Sigh.
If she’s going to say it like that, what can I do?
Me: Sigh
Me: I guess I have no choice then
Me: Your unnie will have to save poor Ji-an
Me: I’ll go. I’ll go. Happy now?
Me: What time should we meet
A reply came immediately.
Ji-an: The match is at 5, so
Ji-an: Maybe around 4?
Ji-an: It’s not that I have no friends!!
I’m done with this.
Well, anyway, if it’s 5, it’ll be perfect to watch the match and then have dinner.
“Hmph, hmph, hmph.”
Smirking, Ji-woo got out of bed and headed to her closet. Then, she started carefully picking out what to wear tomorrow.
···
“Wow, there are so many people…”
“Seriously.”
“Looks like we’ll have to wait in line for at least 30 minutes to get in.”
Ji-woo scratched his head, looking troubled.
It was because the people filling the stadium entrance. A long line stretched from far away to the entrance.
Hmm.
I didn’t think it would be this crowded.
No wonder the neighborhood is so quiet on weekends. Everyone must be here on match days.
“Hrm.”
I met up with Ji-woo about 30 minutes ago, stopped by a cafe, and then arrived at the stadium.
Ji-woo said she wanted to eat cake, so we ate that and chatted for a bit, and by the time we arrived, there was less than 30 minutes left until kickoff.
“We’ll have to go in after it starts. Is that okay?”
Ji-woo asked worriedly, but I just shrugged.
Well, it doesn’t matter.
Actually, I purposely suggested meeting late.
Because I don’t have to wait in this line.
“Follow me.”
“Huh?”
I led the way, bypassing the line.
As I walked, I found out why the line was so long. There weren’t many entrances.
Just like you’d expect from Florence’s stadium. It looks like the stadium is old, too. That’s why there aren’t many entrances.
However, one of them had a particularly short line.
There were almost no people there, so I headed there with Ji-woo.
“Is this a line here too?”
“No. You don’t have to wait in line here.”
“A place where you don’t have to wait?”
I nodded, then rummaged in my pocket and took out a ticket. It was a special ticket given to me by the team.
When I showed the ticket to the guard at the entrance, he immediately moved aside and made way for us.
“Wow, what? We can just go right in?”
“Yup.”
“Why? What is it?”
What else could it be.
“I’m going to be playing here soon too, that’s why. Have you ever seen a player wait in line to get in?”
“Wow… That’s true, but why do I feel so annoyed hearing it?”
I know, right.
I feel a bit annoyed at myself for saying it.
But I had no choice. I’d been thinking about using this youth ticket to go through the express lane and delivering this line since yesterday.
“I feel a little bad for the people.”
“I guess, but there’s no need to stand in line, right?”
“That’s true…?”
“Let’s go.”
I headed to our seats with Ji-woo.
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