Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: I've realized something recently - 2
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"Yes, and with this, Sampdoria has fallen into a slump of consecutive losses, while Fiorentina continues its winning streak, completely riding the wave of momentum..."
The announcer's voice flowed from the television, which boasted crisp picture quality.
It was a TV I had bought recently.
And in front of it...
"Haa... haa..."
"Ughhh..."
Kim Ji-woo and Lee Won-hoon were sprawled out on their backs like slimes.
"Why are we the ones who are more exhausted..."
"Seriously, right?"
The two had been watching Ji-an's match on TV, and the moment the game ended, they both collapsed from exhaustion.
Watching Ji-an's games was never easy to begin with, but today had been especially tough.
It was because the match had been so brutal.
"Wow, it was seriously so scary..."
"Tell me about it. Those bastards were fighting like their lives depended on it... Ugh."
Up until the first half, it was a match they could watch comfortably.
But the moment Ji-an came on, the genre changed from soccer to a thriller.
How fiercely the players from both teams were fighting.
The two had watched the entire 45 minutes with bated breath, worried that Ji-an might get caught up in it.
"Why does it get so brutal the second Ji-an comes on?"
"Seriously. Did these guys think our son was an easy target?"
"Well, that's not entirely wrong, but..."
When Ji-an actually got the ball and was immediately fouled, their hearts really dropped. They thought he was hurt.
Thanks to that, the innocent sofa cushions took a severe beating. From Ji-woo's fist, which was as soft as a cotton hammer.
"Anyway, it's a relief. It ended well."
"Yeah. Phewww..."
Anyway, it was a relief that nothing happened.
He wasn't hurt, and the team won.
Just as Kim Ji-woo and Lee Won-hoon were barely catching their breath...
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
We'll be meeting today's MVP. Fiorentina's number 20, Lee Ji-an!
"Huh? Huh? It's Ji-an!"
"U-uh?"
At the sound from the TV, Kim Ji-woo cried out in a hoarse voice.
At those words, Lee Won-hoon, who had been slumped over, also straightened his posture and fixed his gaze on the TV.
-Ah... hello.
It was really Ji-an.
Ji-an filled the screen.
What is he doing? An interview?
They didn't know the details, but seeing a familiar face made Ji-woo and Won-hoon's eyes widen and break into broad smiles at the same time.
However... soon, both of them tilted their heads.
They even soon turned to worried expressions.
"Why... why does his face look like that?"
"Is he sick?"
Ji-an's face was strange.
What should they say... like he had seen a ghost?
His face was pale, and his pupils were dilated.
Why is he acting like that?
Anyway, the interview continued.
-Congratulations on the win today. First, could you give us a short comment?
-Uh... yes. It's good. We won.
-Let's talk about the match first. You were substituted in quite early. It was at the start of the second half, right? Were there any special instructions you received before going onto the field?
-Ah, um... that...
-You can take your time answering.
-...Yes. I think I was told to attack aggressively. The half-spaces. So I tried my best. I was trying to do that. As much as I could.
-Attack the half-spaces aggressively. That worked perfectly around the 10th minute of the second half, right? You showed a great escape from pressure in the left half-space and created a perfect chance for Vlahovic.
-Ah, that... was it okay?
-Pardon? Haha! I think it was a very good play.
-Thank you...!
Seeing Ji-an, who was slightly stuttering and rambling but still persevering with his answers, a smile spread across Kim Ji-woo and Lee Won-hoon's faces.
"He must be really nervous. Look at him rambling."
"Why is he like that? It's cute."
Watching the interview, they understood why his face had been so pale.
He seemed extremely nervous in front of the camera.
He wasn't usually the type to ramble like that, even though he was a man of few words.
He was so calm on the soccer field, but he was flustered in front of the camera, so it was just funny.
However, that didn't mean his appearance was comical.
After all, doing an interview alone without a translator was an impressive feat in itself.
Even if he was a bit stuttering, seeing Ji-an do his best to continue the interview was both admirable and, in a way, cute.
He was cool.
-Good. Now, moving on to the next question...
Anyway, the interview flowed smoothly enough. The atmosphere was warm and friendly, and Ji-an, who had been frozen stiff, seemed to be getting used to it, as his complexion was gradually returning. His answers were also becoming calmer.
But then, the moment the interviewer brought up the next question.
-Well then, I'd like to ask a question about something off the pitch. I hear the Fiorentina fans are already placing big expectations on you.
Lee Won-hoon, who was listening, furrowed his brow slightly.
-That's to be expected. A 16-year-old player debuted for the first team, scored on his debut, and performed well in today's match. The reaction is that a true genius has appeared. It's not strange at all. The entire city of Florence is paying attention to you.
The interviewer hadn't said anything strange.
It was rather a huge compliment.
But the more he said it, the stiffer Lee Won-hoon's face became.
That... wouldn't be good words for Ji-an to hear.
For an ordinary 16-year-old boy, at an age brimming with self-esteem, it would be a compliment to make him swell with pride, but Ji-an wasn't an ordinary boy.
He would feel an immense burden.
Lee Won-hoon watched his son on the TV as if he were sitting on pins and needles.
However, his son on the screen was just calmly listening.
-Could you say a word to those fans? To the fans who are sending you their expectations and support.
At the interviewer's question, Lee Ji-an seemed to be lost in thought for a moment.
Then, Ji-an, who had been looking at the interviewer while speaking until then, turned his gaze to the camera.
On that screen, Ji-an's eyes met Ji-woo and Won-hoon's.
Lee Ji-an spoke.
-A true genius... I am one. So please continue to expect great things from me. I'll show you...
-Uh... can you say that in Italian too?
-Ah, sorry. I was saying I'll work hard.
-Haha, that's great.
"..."
At his son's answer, Lee Won-hoon paused for a moment, then made a complex, subtle smile. He then glanced at Kim Ji-woo, who was craning his neck so far he looked like he was about to enter the TV, and nodding.
That punk. A man's a man, alright.
-Well, this is the last one. In this happy moment, there must be someone who comes to mind first. Could you pick just one person?
-Uh... someone who comes to mind first?
At the interviewer's final question, Lee Ji-an scratched his head. And just as he was about to open his mouth, a murmur from off-camera was picked up by the microphone.
-Huh? What did you say?
The interviewer, catching the sound, looked off-camera and asked. As the camera turned halfway to capture that direction, the faces of the Fiorentina players, watching the interview with their arms crossed and satisfied expressions, appeared on screen.
They were all mouthing, "Girlfriend, girlfriend."
-So you have a girlfriend? That's a sad piece of news for your female fans.
-Ah, no. That's not...
-Well then, you should say a word to your girlfriend.
-No, ah...
Ji-an, looking flustered, blushed.
A voice from off-camera could be heard saying, "Tell her you love her!"
Ji-an glanced in that direction, then, as if giving up, he spoke.
-Ha... Thank you for always supporting me...
Having said that, Ji-an fled from the camera. The interviewer watched his retreating figure with satisfaction and continued with a closing remark.
"What did he say?"
Ji-woo asked, and Won-hoon thought for a moment.
What should he do? As a fellow man, should he protect his son?
But arbitrarily interpreting the translation wasn't right either.
Hmm...
Son, I'm sorry.
"He was asked to say a word to his girlfriend, and he said, 'Thank you for always supporting me.' It seems he was talking to you."
"...Huh?"
At Won-hoon's words, Ji-woo made a strange sound as if he were broken.
···
"Why are you saying such strange things?"
"...What is?"
"Oh ho. Are you going to pretend you don't know?"
"No, what..."
Ji-woo, with his arms crossed, looked at me with an unknown smile.
I turned my head away to avoid his gaze, making an excuse, but Ji-an persistently followed and peered into my eyes.
"You, you did an interview after the match yesterday, right?"
···My heart sank.
Ah. I was hoping he hadn't seen it.
He saw it. The interview.
Ji-woo saw that damned interview I can't even remember what I was rambling about.
God has abandoned me.
"Oh, so you remember now?"
When I flinched, Ji-woo, as if he'd caught me, spoke with a mischievous smile.
My face burned like crazy.
Still, I tried to play dumb one more time.
"I have no idea what you're talking about..."
"Is that so? Then why is your face so red? Your face is about to burst."
···Is this what it feels like to be pathetic?
I couldn't help but squeeze my eyes shut at the sound of Ji-woo's giggling laughter.
"What did that interviewer say at the end? He asked you to say a word to your girlfriend, right?"
···I resent this.
The camera that filmed me, the reporter who interviewed me, and our team's seniors, all of them.
No, the one I resent the most is yesterday's me.
What was I thinking? Even if I was out of my mind, how could I...
I should have said I have a female friend, but not a girlfriend...
Thanks to that, another strange misunderstanding has been created...
"..."
When I lowered my head and stayed silent, Ji-woo spoke with a beaming smile.
"Our Ji-an, did you like your noonie that much? To the point where you're bragging to people that she's your girlfriend?"
"T-that's... not true."
"Is that so? Then why were your teammates talking about a girlfriend? Ah, did you get a girlfriend without me knowing? Huh? Who is she?"
"...There's no such thing."
"Then who could it be? Always supporting me, thank you..."
"H-hey, wait a minute."
I reached out, unable to bear hearing the rest of that sentence out loud.
Then Ji-woo tilted his head, smiling brightly.
Think, Lee Ji-an.
Use your head like you do on the field and come up with a decent excuse.
But no answer comes to mind.
It can't. That's what I actually said.
In the end... what came out of my mouth was something so ridiculous even I thought it was absurd.
"I don't know what you saw, but that wasn't me."
"...What did you say?"
"The interview, that wasn't me."
"Then who was it?"
"I don't know. Anyway, it wasn't me."
That wasn't me.
Anyway, it wasn't.
I made a ridiculous excuse and ran to the bathroom, but from behind, I could hear Ji-woo's laughter, loud enough to shake the house.
I need to think twice, no, three times before doing an interview from now on.
Please...
But... he's not angry, though.
I guess that's a relief...?
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