Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Being Honest Is Easier - 3
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Florence vs. Juventus matches have always been intense.
It's because the two teams are entangled in a derby rivalry.
However, if you ask whether they consider each other true derby rivals, that might not be the case.
First, it's clear that Fiorentina considers Juventus a rival.
It's not that they share the same home ground, nor have they consistently competed for similar rankings.
It's due to the peculiar ways they've been entangled.
For starters, there's the history of having trophies snatched away due to questionable refereeing decisions not once, but twice, and many instances of key stars and prospects being taken from the team.
That's why Fiorentina fans call Juventus "Ladri" (Thieves) and view them as an entity to be overthrown.
Because of this, for Fiorentina, the one opponent they absolutely must not lose to is Juventus.
With the 14th round of the league match against Juventus approaching, Fiorentina fans were showing reactions as if they had been waiting for this day.
It was always like this, but the reaction was especially heated this time.
It was because the team's momentum had recently reached the skies.
They had four wins and one draw in their last five league games.
They hadn't even faced easy opponents.
They drew against AS Roma in an away match and crushed Lazio and Inter.
Thanks to their victories against teams higher in the rankings, their league position had risen to 5th.
But it wasn't just about the results. Their performance was good, too.
They weren't like in the early season, playing frustratingly and only getting points through luck.
Their performance was the best it had been in years, and as a result, the fans' expectations were at an all-time high.
The reactions were that this was the time to properly catch the thieves' bastards.
While Fiorentina fans were burning with the will to win this rival derby match...
In contrast, the reaction from the Juventus side was rather bland.
After all, Juventus doesn't consider Fiorentina a rival, nor do they call their matches derbies.
Perhaps it's only natural.
Juventus is a club that truly represents Serie A and Italy.
They are a team that gets cursed at if they don't win the Scudetto, and a team that challenges for the Champions League title every season.
It's said that their level doesn't match Fiorentina, who are only evaluated as a mid-tier team in the league at best.
The only teams Juventus would call rivals are the two Milans, with whom they've fought for the Scudetto.
No one else could dare call them rivals.
However.
That doesn't mean Juventus fans aren't paying attention to this match.
They too are very interested in this game.
It's just not because it's a derby match, but rather because of their interest in a specific player.
Most Juventus fans, as expected, were talking about Vlahovic.
Vlahovic, whose transfer this winter is all but confirmed. And the team most strongly linked with him was Juventus.
Although there was still quite some time before the winter transfer window opened. Juventus fans were already thinking of Vlahovic as their player.
Therefore, Juventus fans were viewing this match as a kind of "interview."
Something like, 'Oh, you're the guy who's going to come to the best team in Serie A? Let's see what you've got then.'
Regardless of Fiorentina's recent momentum, since they thought they would lose anyway, most Juventus fans only talked about Vlahovic.
However, there were some fans who mentioned other players.
In fact, it wasn't a small number.
The number of fans mentioning Lee Ji-an.
But the number of ignorant fans was far greater, so it just looked like a minority opinion.
Surprisingly, European football fans are not interested in anything other than their own team.
The majority of Juventus fans are the same.
They like Juventus, but they don't like football.
Because of this, they even argued with each other.
Comments mentioning Lee Ji-an, especially pointing out that he had been in the Juventus youth team, were hit with downvote spams.
They were treated as Fiorentina fans disguised as Juventus fans.
Most just thought it was a fuss.
There are a few promising rookies every year. So most fans scoffed at the idea of having to be careful of Lee Ji-an.
They are Juventus, so who should they be careful of?
However, who was right would have to be seen.
"Be careful and come back safely."
"Yes. I'll be back—"
I greet my dad and grab my bag, then step out the front door.
It's the day to leave for Turin.
Tap, tap-
As soon as I step out of the house, I feel something tapping the top of my head. I look up, and the sky is overcast.
It looks like it's going to start raining from the morning. I wonder if I should take an umbrella...
Thinking that, I just put on my hood and start walking.
It's a hassle. It's better to walk fast than to use an umbrella.
"Hey- Good luck! You have to win and come back!"
"Go kill them all!"
"You absolutely can't lose!"
Today's commute to the training ground was more boisterous than usual.
With my head down, walking quickly, everyone I passed by said something to me.
I respond appropriately to their greetings and quicken my pace.
The reason everyone is like this today is probably because the opponent this week is Juventus.
I heard that all our team's fans hate Juventus to the extreme. So of course, they'd want to see us win.
Suddenly, it occurs to me that it's a good thing I hate Juventus too, at least to that extent.
If I didn't, those cheers would have been a huge burden.
Now, since I'm thinking the same thing anyway, it's less of a burden.
Even if I don't care about other teams, I don't want to lose to Juventus, just like them.
No, maybe I'm the one who wants it the most.
"..."
Feeling the rain getting a little stronger, I pull my hood down deeper. Doing this makes me feel like a lone avenger walking the path for revenge.
I thought I had already graduated from my middle-2nd year syndrome last year.
Maybe not.
I don't know.
Woooooo-
Walking like that, I feel a vibration in my pocket. It keeps buzzing, so it seems like a call is coming.
Since it's raining, I thought about checking it later, but I felt like I should check it now, so I took out my phone.
Good thing I checked.
It was a call from Ji-woo.
I quickly answered the phone.
"...Hello?"
-Hey, Ji-an! Where are you right now?
"I'm on my way to the training ground. Why?"
-Did you arrive? Already?
"No, not yet. I said I'm on my way."
-Then wait a moment!
"Why?"
-Ah, I see you! I see you! Stay right there, just a moment!
...What is she suddenly talking about?
I was about to ask what she meant when the call was cut off abruptly.
Ji-woo's voice from the other end of the phone sounded very urgent.
So I stood there for a moment and turned my head...
I see Ji-woo running towards me from a distance.
Ji-woo was running towards me in the rain.
"Hey, hey...!"
Ji-woo, her wet hair swishing, arrived in front of me, braced her hands on her knees, and gasped for breath.
It seemed she had really run in a hurry.
"I... I'm glad... you haven't left yet...!"
"Wh-what's going on? Why? Did something happen?"
"No... that's not it...!"
What big thing must have happened for her to run all the way here without an umbrella?
I urgently asked, and Ji-woo caught her breath and then spoke.
"I just... wanted to tell you to make sure you win."
"...What?"
I looked at Ji-woo with a dumbfounded expression.
She ran all the way here, even getting wet in the rain, just to say that?
Unable to understand, I stared at Ji-woo, but she just smiled brightly.
"I just wanted to see your face and talk. I think the support will be stronger that way."
"No..."
"You have to win for sure. Really. Got it?"
"No, wait. First..."
Putting aside the absurdity for a moment, I opened my bag and took out a waterproof training jacket.
Then I put it on Ji-woo.
She must have run in a hurry, as she was only wearing thin clothes, and she got wet, so she looked really cold.
It was my clothes, so it was a bit big on Ji-woo, but it seemed better to wear that at least.
Putting the clothes on her, I asked with a dumbfounded expression.
"Did you really come just to say that?"
"Yeah."
"No, you could have done that over the phone or a message."
"That's true, but wouldn't it be more encouraging to say it while seeing each other in person like this?"
"No... still..."
Ji-woo said with a bright smile, but I was still just dumbfounded.
It didn't seem like something to do, running all the way here in the rain...
For a moment, I felt an ominous premonition and asked.
"Did you... see something on the internet?"
"Huh? See what? I didn't see anything."
"But why..."
I was about to add, 'Why did you come all the way here to cheer me on?' but I accidentally trailed off, and Ji-woo seemed to understand perfectly and nodded.
"I'm a Fiorentina fan too. I don't know about other teams, but we have to beat them! So! I did all this, so you have to win and come back, Lee Ji-an."
...Suddenly, a sigh escaped me.
It was a sigh filled with many meanings.
"...Alright."
I had many more questions, but I sighed and nodded.
As I looked at Ji-woo, she looked very cold.
She looked freezing.
So, I hugged Ji-woo briefly.
"...I know, so go quickly. Don't catch a cold."
"..."
For a very short moment, I shared my body heat with her, then grabbed her shoulders and turned her around.
I told her to go quickly, but Ji-woo didn't leave and just turned her head to look at me.
"I'll win for sure, so go..."
"...Yeah, okay. I'll go. Sorry! I'm going!"
Ji-woo mumbled and then finally started to head back the way she came.
Tap, tap-
I could only stand there in the rain, blankly watching Ji-woo's retreating back.
I felt a fire burning in my chest.