Chapter 61
Chapter 61
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: First Christmas -1
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Wooong-
I open my eyes amidst a vibration that makes my body hum and a noise that makes my ears feel clogged.
I closed my eyes for a moment and then got up, but the plane heading south was still in the sky.
Still, I've been on a plane a few times.
I seem to have gotten used to this vibration and noise, but I can't get used to this stuffy feeling in this narrow space.
Is it a soccer player's instinct?
I feel like I want to break free from pressure.
"..."
I move only my eyes from my sitting position and quietly look to the right.
And after confirming that the person sitting next to me was fast asleep, I quietly let out a sigh.
Ji-woo was sleeping with her mouth wide open.
Phew.
Thank goodness. I was wondering why she was so quiet.
Since this morning, it's been total chaos.
Because of Ji-woo.
Ji-woo already has a high tension, but today, she was on another level, going completely wild.
It felt like if one of the three notoriously hyper dogs, the Beagle, were born as a human, it would be exactly like this.
I was worried about what to do if they said pets couldn't board, but thankfully, this airline didn't discriminate against animals.
Well, whatever.
On my left, my dad was also dozing off for a bit.
The plane carrying one Beagle, her guardian, and that guardian's guardian was flying safely south.
Checking the map on the screen in the seat in front of me, it looks like we're almost there.
The destination of this plane was a place called Palermo.
We weren't going there for an away match against Palermo FC; it was because we had decided to spend our vacation on the island of Sicily.
I thought a lot about where to go for this vacation, and I had just one criterion.
A good environment for training.
For me, this vacation didn't mean time to rest and play; it just meant there were no games.
I needed the stamina to maintain a consistent condition even while playing a match every week.
I thought everything was over just because I beat Juventus and scored a goal in that game, but I had forgotten one important fact.
For a student, tests are just midterms and finals, but for a soccer player, tests are every week.
Sitting on the bench with a heavy body wasn't a pleasant feeling.
I felt miserable thinking that I had betrayed the expectations of the fans who came to see me, that I couldn't help the team, and that all of it was due to my own negligence in management.
This was not the time to be catching my breath after overcoming the mountain that was Juventus.
Having climbed that huge mountain, I had now set foot in an even higher place.
And so, if I were to fall from here, it would hurt even more.
I didn't want to fall.
That's why, during this vacation, I wanted to fill in what I was most lacking.
And that was stamina.
Actually, I do stamina training regularly, but I can't focus on it as much as when there are no games.
Anyway, stamina training is about exhausting the body, and when you're exhausted, you need time to rest.
Because during the season, with a match every week, time is scarce.
So, this vacation was a great opportunity for me.
Well, anyway.
With my dad's help, I looked for a place that was good for training.
First, it had to be a warm place.
Not as much as Korea, but still, Florence is cold in the winter too. There was a risk of getting injured while doing intense training.
There's nothing more foolish than getting injured while training, so a warm climate was necessary.
As a result, the candidates naturally narrowed down to the warm southern regions. It was still difficult to choose just one place, so I asked some of my seniors for advice, and what Vincenzo-sensei said was the deciding factor.
-I think Toni and Luca are in Sicily. Try contacting them. If you're with them, I can rest easy too.
It was news that Toni-sensei and Luca-coach were already on vacation in the south.
At that news, I immediately sent a text message... and then immediately realized my mistake.
Sending a work-related message to people on vacation. I showed too much that I had no experience with social life.
Fortunately, though, the coach and the director readily told me to come. They said they were in the middle of special training with a trainee anyway, so it worked out well for me to come.
And so, here I am, on a plane flying towards the island of Sicily.
Actually... there was one more reason why Sicily was perfect.
It was that we could get there by plane.
I remembered Ji-woo saying she was jealous of me for taking a plane every week.
I couldn't take Ji-woo with me every time I had an away game, so I wanted to let her ride a plane at least this time.
I was about to book expensive seats for Ji-woo and my dad's back, thinking big.
But I got scolded by both of them simultaneously, asking what kind of money was that to spend.
I don't know why I get scolded for spending my own money.
"..."
Anyway, soon, the sight of the sea and the city began to appear through the small window.
It looks like we're starting to prepare for landing.
Now that I think about it, she said she absolutely had to see the landing, and that she would definitely sit by the window.
But she's sleeping like the dead as we're about to land.
...Wait. Do I have to wake Ji-woo up now?
If I don't, she's going to give me a ton of crap for not waking her. But I'm scared to wake her.
How many people have the courage to wake up a Beagle that has just fallen asleep...
"Hoo-"
In the end, I took a deep breath to prepare myself, then tapped Ji-woo on the shoulder.
Immediately, Ji-woo's round eyes opened.
"......Ah, wow! Wow! The sea! Ji-an! I can see the sea! Wow, this is insane! Look at the color of the sea! The sea is blue-!"
...I think I wasted my courage.
*
"Well, we're almost there. If you go left, it's the city center, and if you go right, you'll find the villa and the beach."
"Wow, that's nice. I've been working for almost 3 years now, but this is my first time in Sicily."
"That's great! Let's make sure you have a good time on this opportunity. Leave your son to us."
"Well, you've always been like that. I'm sorry to bother you even on vacation."
"Ah, not at all. It's a pleasure for us. You don't know how much our director Toni misses Ji-an. He says it was better when he was his student. Haha!"
I listen to the conversation between Luca-coach, who was in the driver's seat, and my dad in the passenger seat, and I look out the window for no reason.
Outside the window, I see a clear sky and a blue sea that make it hard to believe it's winter.
After getting off the plane, we were driving along the coastal road in a car.
It was really kind of Luca-coach to come all the way to the airport to pick us up.
Actually, we could have met anytime if we just made a little time, but meeting in a place this far away felt incredibly welcoming.
It was a strange feeling.
"Anyway, Ji-an! You came at the right time. There's no better place for stamina training in the winter. Just running for 10 minutes on the sandy beach where your feet sink in will make your whole body scream."
"I'm ready."
What was even more grateful was that he had prepared everything, including the training location and our accommodation.
He said that if you go a little deeper out of the city, there's a beach that not many people know about, and that Toni-sensei's villa was near there.
We were planning to stay together at that villa for about 10 days and train.
"By the way, is your girlfriend originally a quiet type?"
"...Excuse me?"
"She hasn't said much since a while ago. Is she the type who's shy around strangers?"
I made an incredulous expression at the coach's question. Now that I think about it, Ji-woo has been quiet since a while ago.
When we were at the airport, her ears were almost falling off from her shouting.
There's no way someone with her personality would be shy.
She must have just been completely captivated by the scenery outside.
The island was beautiful.
"...Did you just talk about me?"
Ji-woo, who was looking out the window, glanced at me and asked.
When I shrugged my shoulders, the coach spoke.
"Ji-an, tell her this. She's a real beauty. Haha!"
...I didn't feel it was worth relaying, so I turned my gaze outside the window, and Ji-woo poked my side.
"He was talking about me. What did he say?"
"...He said you seem like you'd be really talkative, so why are you pretending to be quiet."
At my words, Ji-woo furrowed her brows and puffed out her cheeks. It was the expression of being caught.
Seeing that expression, the coach asked.
"Did you tell her correctly?"
"Of course."
At my answer, my dad started snickering, and I also let out a chuckle as I looked out the window.
The captain said this once.
You can't even trust married Italian men.
So I couldn't translate the coach's words exactly as they were.
I'm just a good junior who always keeps the captain's words in mind.
...It was a joke, of course.
*
"Wow, this is insane... Unbelievable..."
I nod at Ji-woo's exclamation.
It's insane. The scenery.
Swooooosh-
A blue sea, sparkling in the sunlight, stretches out endlessly, and waves that seem to welcome strangers crash onto the sandy beach.
It doesn't have the intense feeling of midsummer, but a warm landscape unfolds before my eyes that you wouldn't believe is a winter sea.
To have a villa in a place like this.
Was Toni-sensei actually incredibly rich?
"How is it? Not bad, right?"
"Incredibly... nice."
"The sand is good here, and there are no people, so it's perfect for training. If you get hot while running, you can just go into the sea for a cold dip."
"Can I start right now?"
The coach laughed at my words.
"You're full of enthusiasm, but still, it's a vacation. The sun will be setting soon, so let's rest today. You have to think about the girlfriend who came with you."
"...Ah."
I nodded.
Ji-woo was already holding her shoes in her hand, and with one hand holding the hem of her skirt, she was running across the sandy beach.
The sound of her giggling laughter can be heard all the way here.
The Beagle, who had been pretending to be quiet for a bit, was starting to show her true colors.
I can almost see her tail wagging wildly.
"Ah, the car!"
...That idiot.
She chased after the receding waves, and her legs got all wet when the water quickly came back.
I knew that would happen.
Watching Ji-woo come back holding her wet skirt with her hand and pouting her lips, I couldn't help but laugh.
"I'm all wet..."
"You shouldn't have run in, then."
"Hee-hee."
Whatever she finds so fun, she says that, but her face is still smiling.
Then, Ji-woo suddenly changed her expression and glanced at me.
"Pervert."
"...?"
"Something felt off ever since you suggested going to the sea. So this was your scheme?"
"...What are you talking about."
"Wow, look at your face turning red. I hit the nail on the head, didn't I? What's your next plan?"
"...Coach. Let's go quickly."
"What did you say?!"
I was so dumbfounded that I turned around.
My head was spinning.
*
In my opinion, Toni-sensei is definitely rich. There's no way he could have a mansion like this as a villa otherwise.
"Wow, Ji-an! Come over here! There's another room here!"
I don't get swept up in Ji-woo's exclamations from a distance and slowly look around the house.
It seems quite old, but it has an antique feel to it.
It's huge, and the furniture looks incredibly luxurious.
If I had a villa like this in a place with such good weather, it would be really great. If I came here when my chest felt tight and rested for a few days without thinking about anything, all my worries would seem to disappear.
I wonder how much a house like this costs.
It would be rude to ask...
"Wow, is there another room here too?"
...I had entered the room almost hiding, but I heard Ji-woo's voice right behind me and flinched.
It looks like I was wrong about her being quiet and alone today.
"That room over there seems like the master bedroom. This one is a bit smaller? Is it a spare room?"
Like someone looking at a house to move into, Ji-woo looked around the room and said, then asked me.
"What would be good to use this room for? A walk-in closet? Or a study?"
"Why are you thinking about that? It's not even our house."
"It's fun! Hmm, this would definitely be good as a study. Ah, no. This is just a kid's room! It's not too big, and it's on the first floor, so it's perfect for a kid's room."
I let out a hollow smile at Ji-woo's words.
It's not even our house, so what does it matter if the room is a study or a kid's room?
I looked at Ji-woo with a slightly uncomprehending gaze, and then I suddenly felt a strange feeling and almost coughed.
It's just that...
When the two of us look around a house like this, talking about our house and a kid's room...
"Ahem."
I shook my head vigorously for no reason and left the room.
I came here to clear my head and train, but I keep having strange thoughts today.
I'm speechless with myself.
"──"
"──"
As I was heading back to the living room, I heard a noisy sound from a distance.
I thought someone had come, so I quickly walked down the hallway, and I saw a familiar face.
"Oh, Ji-an! You're here!"
"Ah, Director."
It was Toni-sensei.
As soon as he saw me, his face brightened, and he gave me a big hug.
...He was as happy as if he were meeting a long-lost family member.
But I was just as happy to see him.
"How is it? How's your body? Are you not hurt or uncomfortable anywhere?"
"Yes. I'm fine."
"Good. I'm glad you came. I was training a trainee anyway, so it worked out well. It's better to train with someone than alone."
"Ah, that's right."
"It's someone you know too."
"Who...?"
Instead of answering my question, the director pointed behind him with his chin.
I turned my gaze to that direction, and I saw someone with sun-tanned skin coming in completely drenched like a drowned rat...
Looking closely, it was a familiar face.
"Gino...?"
It was Gino.
It was Gino, but I had to look again more closely to make sure it was the Gino I knew.
Because Gino was wearing a uniform from a different team, not our team's uniform.