Chapter 48
Chapter 48
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: Gelato-Flavored Vacation - 1
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The afternoon return from Milan was quite hectic.
Normally, everyone would take the same bus or flight back to Florence, but that wasn't the case today.
They said it was because of the international match week starting today.
"Take care. Be careful not to get injured."
"See you later."
The players who received calls from the national team separated from us at Milan airport and boarded different flights.
They had to go to the national team without even getting a proper day of rest, and they all looked quite exhausted.
A fair number of players had been selected for the national team.
Vlahović and Milenković, who were called the Serbian Mafia, along with Nastasić, headed to the Serbian national team.
Our captain Biraghi and Bonaventura boarded a flight to Rome to join the Italian national team.
In addition, Torreira went to the Uruguay national team, Amrabat to the Morocco national team, and so on.
A considerable number of people left for their respective countries while listening to the coach's nagging to be careful of injuries.
"Hey, maknae, aren't you going?"
"Me? What are you..."
"Why? Didn't you get a call?"
"No."
"Really? That's strange."
Well, of course, I boarded the flight to Florence. The national team has nothing to do with me.
Someone like me representing a country?
Just thinking about it gives me the creeps. It feels strange.
Hmm.
Now that I think about it, it's been almost three years, approaching four, since I've been to Korea.
Dad has been to Korea a few times in between, but I haven't gone.
I just didn't want to go.
Of course, it's not that I had no desire to go. Right after coming to Italy or when I was struggling a lot at Juventus, I really wanted to go back.
I wanted to visit the neighborhood where I lived as a kid, and I wanted to see Ji-woo.
But I didn't have the courage to go.
Even now, I'm not exactly the brightest person, but back then, I was so dark even I thought so... If Ji-woo had seen me then, she would have noticed immediately.
That I wasn't doing well in Italy.
But I couldn't just go all the way to Korea and not meet Ji-woo, so I just didn't go at all.
"Don't you want to go to your hometown?"
I shrugged my shoulders at Saponara's question from the seat next to me. He's a senior who's hard to distinguish from the coach from a distance. It means his hairstyle is neat.
"...I don't know. Right now."
Right now... honestly, I don't know.
I wonder if there's a reason to go, but I also think it might be about time to go at least once.
"..."
I quietly looked out the window.
Anyway, right now, all I want is to go home quickly.
···
"Hmm."
Lee Ji-an's father, Lee Won-hoon, has one concern these days. It's a concern that bothers him more because he's happy that his son is gradually advancing into the world.
📰 Breaking News
Florentina's Lee Ji-an, plays 76 minutes as a starter against Inter... 2 goals, rating 9.0, a great performance!
It was the reaction in Korea, which was heating up over his son's performance.
📰 Breaking News
Why didn't we know? Hwawang Elementary - Maeil Middle - Juventus - Fiorentina First Team... The genius boy was quietly preparing to step up
📰 Breaking News
At 16 years old, the ace of a Serie A team... Who is Lee Ji-an? Re-examining a YouTube appearance video from 3 years ago
📰 Breaking News
Rave reviews from European coaches... Fiorentina coach Vincenzo评价 Lee Ji-an as "one of Europe's top talents"... Even opposing coach Mourinho praised him recently
📰 Breaking News
Rising as the hope of Korean soccer? The 16-year-old boy's performance is no joke... Major European clubs are showing a lot of interest
📰 Breaking News
Solely on skill? Or too early? The A national team, hot debate over the selection of the 16-year-old boy
It was literally hot.
His son's news articles were even on the main sports section of portal sites, and his son's face even appeared on terrestrial news.
Most of them were good, of course.
Reactions like "Who on earth is this?", "A real soccer genius has appeared", and "We need to call him up to the national team right away"...
He himself couldn't feel it directly since he was in a distant foreign country, but from a distance, it felt like the whole country was in an uproar because of his son.
So it's proud and a good thing, but...
Lee Won-hoon had never once mentioned these facts in front of his son.
The reason was obvious.
He was worried his son would feel burdened.
Of course, his son might already know. He had asked Ji-woo to avoid mentioning it, but Ji-an also has a phone and knows how to use the internet.
He could know if he wanted to. Well, it's not in his personality to look up such things, but anyway.
He just didn't want to tell him about this news first.
Even though his son has changed a lot and is growing over the past few months...
His son is still young.
Just like they say crustaceans are most dangerous during and right after molting.
His son still needed time.
So Lee Won-hoon was being as careful as possible and keeping quiet.
Of course, he couldn't hide it forever. If his son continues to advance like this, the day the nation calls for him will definitely come.
Anyway, that time will come... but for now, it's a future matter.
For now, Lee Won-hoon's thought was that he just wanted his son to play soccer comfortably here.
Click!
"I'm home."
"Oh, son!"
While he was having these thoughts, his son, who had been on an away trip, arrived.
His son, who opened the door and came in, looked quite tired. Lee Won-hoon, who works in the travel business, knows this well. How hard it is to travel long distances back and forth.
"Just put your bag there, go wash up and rest quickly. What about food?"
"I should eat..."
He welcomed his son happily and was about to take care of the laundry first...
"Uh, Dad."
"Yeah?"
"This."
His son took something out of his bag and offered it to him.
It was a shopping bag, and when he looked, it was clothes.
"I bought one because they said it's clothes for playing golf."
"Huh? Why suddenly this kind of thing. There's no time for it."
"Just because. They said Milan is famous for clothes..."
"Hoo, my. This kid."
At his son's unexpected gift, Lee Won-hoon couldn't continue speaking and just looked at his son.
But for some reason, his son avoided his gaze and scurried into his room.
At that sight, Lee Won-hoon smiled.
This kid. He's being shy.
···
An afternoon where warm sunlight and cold air alternate.
"What do you mean I didn't take good pictures..."
I sat on a street bench, grumbling as I scrolled through my phone's gallery.
I was looking at the photos of the streets and buildings I had taken in Milan.
Ji-woo had asked me to take them, so I did.
But I got scolded after sending them via message.
She said I only know how to play soccer but take terrible photos.
She said a photo isn't just capturing what you see.
Well then, what is a photo?
I think I took them well.
"Sigh."
I let out a sigh, put my phone in my pocket, and leaned my back against the backrest.
I'm waiting for Ji-woo in front of her house. She said it won't do, and she'll teach me how to take good photos today or something.
Well, since there are no games for the next two weeks, I'm also free, so I plan to spend some time with her.
Actually, I was really tired.
Playing a game every week isn't easy, and especially since we've only been meeting strong teams for the past few weeks.
The coach also told me not to come to training for three days and to rest thoroughly, so I decided to really rest.
"Hmm..."
Actually, if it were the old me, I wouldn't have thought of coming out like this as 'rest'.
Rest means having time to recharge...
But I'm not the type to recharge by meeting people and walking around outside.
Actually, that hasn't changed even now.
Just... how should I put it.
I had a thought that maybe who I do something with is more important than just what I do.
"Oh! You're here early? Did you wait long?"
With a lively voice, Ji-woo, wearing a dress, runs out of the house.
Now that I think about it, I haven't seen that dress in a while. It's the dress she wore on her first day in Italy.
"What? Why are you here so early? Sigh, you missed your big sister that much?"
"I just got here."
"Ha, Ji-an. At times like this, you should say 'Yeah. I missed you so I came early' even if you just got here."
"...What are you talking about."
"You should know how to tell a pleasing lie sometimes, you know? You need to be good at socializing!"
"...? I don't know about other things, but when it comes to socializing, you're the one who..."
"Ah, whatever. Today, practicing speaking nicely is also added, Lee Ji-an. Got it?"
...Good grief.
It's already chaotic the moment we meet. Does she ever run out of energy? She definitely has better stamina than me.
"Anyway, let's go quickly. We'll be late."
"Let's go!"
I shook my head and walked ahead, and Ji-woo followed me closely, walking together.
Ji-woo said she knew a restaurant, so we decided to eat there first.
"Seriously, Ji-an, I thought you were all grown up, but you still have a long way to go. You still need to learn more from your big sister. For the next two weeks......."
On the way, Ji-woo chattered non-stop.
She must be in a good mood, as she's talking more than usual today. She even talks well by herself without me answering.
Actually, I don't really like talkative people.
It's just that I'm not the talkative type.
Some people say they relieve stress by talking, but talking itself is an energy drain for me.
So when I'm with a talkative person, I feel like my energy is being drained.
But with Ji-woo... she talks well by herself even if I don't answer, so it's fine.
"Ah, and the day before yesterday, you know! In front of..."
We haven't seen each other for a few days, and she has so much to say. I listened to Ji-woo's words for a long time like I was listening to the radio, and then...
I suddenly got curious and asked.
"By the way, am I bad at speaking?"
"Huh? What do you mean bad at speaking?"
"You said earlier that I need to practice speaking nicely."
At my words, Ji-woo burst out laughing and slapped my shoulder.
"That's right. You speak badly. You're the only one who talks back to your big sister like that. Hey, do you know how nicely the boys here speak?"
"...The boys here?"
"Yeah! If you see the boys at my school, it's really amazing. Every single word of their daily conversations is almost like movie dialogue."
"...Do they do that to you too?"
"Of course. Hey, it's not just you who's popular. Your big sister is also popular at school. It's so annoying."
I snorted at Ji-woo's words as she crossed her arms and shrugged her shoulders.
Well, I guess so. I felt it too, the boys here are really good at saying embarrassing things without hesitation.
When I listen quietly, it's so cheesy it makes my stomach churn.
...Hmm.
There must be kids like that at Ji-woo's school too.
"What? Why that face?"
"...Huh?"
"You're not... jealous, are you?"
...What is she talking about.
I looked at Ji-woo as if I couldn't believe it, and she started laughing so hard she was gasping for breath.
Good grief... why would I be jealous.
Anyway.
I don't know how to speak nicely.
I guess I should go visit Ji-woo's school...
*
"Wow, this is insane. Look at the scenery..."
Ji-woo couldn't take her eyes off the city laid out below us.
The scenery is worth it. The restaurant we arrived at was on the Michelangelo Square, which is a bit higher up.
Thanks to that, we could see all of Florence at a glance, and we were sitting on the outdoor terrace, which made the view even better.
"It feels like we shouldn't be loud here. Right?"
"Yeah. It's a good thing then."
"What's a good thing?"
"Now I can get a break from the noise."
"Tsk, are you teasing me again?"
I chuckled as I watched Ji-woo pout her cheeks and furrow her brow.
It's definitely a high-end restaurant, so the customers' age group is quite high. Everyone except us was older.
Thanks to that, I liked it.
"Alright, shall we start now?"
"...Start what?"
"What what? Get a grip, Ji-an. We're not here to play today."
While I was quietly looking at the scenery, Ji-woo took out her phone and handed it to me.
Then she suddenly fixed her hair, straightened her clothes, and sat up straight.
"Here, I'll give you the honor of taking a picture of such a beautiful sight. Try taking one."
"..."
I clicked my tongue at Ji-woo, who was suddenly acting all girly and setting the mood, and turned on the camera.
Then I tried to frame the shot to include her and the background.
Well, isn't this kind of picture just taken roughly like this?
"..."
I held back my laughter as Ji-woo changed her pose every time I touched the screen, as if she were doing a photoshoot, and took some pictures roughly.
Then, I suddenly let out a sigh and spoke.
"This isn't going to be practice no matter how many I take."
"Huh? Why? You get better at taking pictures by taking a lot of them."
"No, that's not it. How can it be practice when she's pretty no matter how I take the picture?"
I grumbled and handed the phone back to Ji-woo.
But Ji-woo stared at me with her eyes wide open.
"...The background is a scam. The background."
Why is she surprised?
She's the one who said I should practice speaking nicely and that I should know how to tell pleasing lies.
...Hmm.
But that wasn't a lie just now, but anyway.
"...It's not the background, it's the model that's a scam."
As I watched Ji-woo's lips curl up as she looked through the photos, I also chuckled.