Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: First Christmas -2
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"It's been about a week. There's a break for the youth teams, so there's plenty of time for training."
Amidst the clatter of cutlery on a seemingly fancy table, we enjoyed our dinner.
Coach Toni spoke while chewing on some fried shrimp.
"Even if they're wearing a different uniform, my player is still my player. Besides, this is my hometown team, Palermo. So, I'm working him to the bone."
Hearing this, Gino, sitting next to him, gave an awkward smile.
Gino, who had left the U17 team last summer, had recently transferred to Palermo FC. I'd heard the details, but it wasn't a loan. He'd finalized a full contract and moved teams.
There was apparently a clause for him to return later, but for me, it was a complicated story I couldn't quite grasp even after hearing it.
Anyway... Gino said he transferred like this because he wanted to play in matches as soon as possible, thinking about his future.
"Gino, you said you played a few games in November, right?"
"Three games, Coach."
"And you scored a goal, I heard."
"I scored one goal."
To be honest, I couldn't quite understand it.
Transferring just to play in matches. Gino... why?
The Gino I knew was the ace of the team and a starter for the entire time I was with the U17 team.
For me, Gino was a figure I could barely even look at, someone I had to look up to.
Memories from just a few months ago surfaced.
When I heard the news that Ji-woo was coming to Italy and was in a position where I had to play in a match no matter what.
I remember clearly how much of an impact Gino's existence had on me then.
Gino and I were in completely different positions, like heaven and earth.
Gino was the team's ace, while I was part of the bench group that couldn't even get a seat, and within that group, I was a kid with no presence.
Being at the very bottom, I had to climb a mountain of obstacles to play in a match, and Gino was standing at the peak of that mountain.
In short, Gino was a true genius to me.
Not a fake genius like me, who was just pretending.
But now, that Gino says he transferred because he wanted to play in a match.
This fact doesn't feel real to me, for some reason.
I don't know why, but... I felt a strange sense of disconnect. It's hard to explain in words, but I felt a bit confused and strange.
So, I just quietly listened to the conversation while pretending to poke at my risotto with a fork.
"How many minutes did you play, in terms of time?"
"I probably played about 60 minutes. About 20 minutes per game."
"That's a lot."
"Yes. It's gradually increasing."
"Good. It'll increase even more in the latter half of the season. You need to score more goals, too. Let's aim for double digits."
"Yes... I hope I can."
"You can, kid. Other kids are probably all playing around by now, but you're out here running your heart out."
At the coach's words, Gino bared his white teeth and smiled, then looked at me and said,
"I wonder about that. A genius like him is also here training without rest."
"That's... because he's special. Well, you just have to work twice as hard."
"I don't know if I can surpass him even if I work twice as hard. Haha. I'll work four times as hard."
Gino put his hand on my shoulder and said with a smile.
"..."
But I didn't know how to react, so I just kept scooping up the risotto.
···
The sky is blue, and the sea is blue.
Because the sun is shining so brightly, everything feels even more vivid.
It was a beautiful beach.
"Haa... it doesn't really suit me..."
Kim Ji-woo, sitting on that beautiful beach, tilted her head, checking her face from various angles with her phone.
The problem was the sunglasses.
They were sunglasses she had bought a few days ago for her vacation, but because she'd bought them in a hurry, they felt a bit awkward.
She'd bought them imagining a cool vibe like the Western ladies, but... hmm. Why do they give off the vibe of a kid wearing her mom's sunglasses?
"Tch."
Pouting her lips, Kim Ji-woo took off her sunglasses and looked around.
Except for the fact that she didn't like the sunglasses she had prepared so ambitiously, the scenery was, in any case, a happy one.
In front of her, a wonderful sky and sea were spread out, and along the sea, a sandy beach stretched out so long it seemed endless.
The weather was nice, and the scent of the sea breeze brushing past the tip of her nose was also pleasant.
Once again, she couldn't believe it.
That she, just an ordinary high school girl, was spending her vacation in such a wonderful place.
When she used to go on "vacation," it was just eating tteokbokki with her friends downtown and taking instant photos.
Now, the fact that she was spending her vacation on an Italian beach felt so surreal, it made her wonder if this was even okay.
However... that didn't necessarily mean she felt happy. It wasn't that being in such a wonderful place made it good.
She would have been happy even if it wasn't such a cool place.
The important thing wasn't the location, but who she was with.
"..."
In the distance, she could see four men running on the sand.
She couldn't understand how they could run so well on the sand where their feet sank deep with every step.
It must be tough, yet they all kept running silently under the scorching sun.
But for the other three, it was a shame, but in Kim Ji-woo's eyes, only one person was visible.
Lee Ji-an, running while swinging his long limbs.
He looked incredibly tired. To the point it was pitiable.
It was only natural for him to be tired.
He had been running on that beach, where even walking was difficult, for tens of minutes already.
And it wasn't just a light jog; he was doing all-out sprints every so often. It was so tough that all of them were even screaming as they ran.
He had been running as if he was about to collapse for quite a while now.
Yet, Ji-an didn't stop. He looked like he was about to collapse, but he never did.
The pouring sun made him squint, and the fine sand kept grabbing at his ankles... Ji-an endured it all and just pushed forward.
It made her wonder.
What was he going through all this pain for?
Did he like soccer that much? He was already so good, so how much more did he want to improve?
What was he gritting his teeth and running for?
Perhaps because the memories from when they were young were so strong, to Kim Ji-woo, Ji-an felt like a friend, almost like a younger brother she wanted to protect.
Of course, he had grown a lot since she hadn't seen him, and lately, watching his games, she felt he had changed a lot.
But the thought of wanting to take care of him and protect him hadn't changed.
But now, the feeling was a little different.
His appearance, looking like he was about to collapse at any moment, was still pitiable, but instead of wanting to protect him... she felt a sense of respect.
My god.
To feel respect for Lee Ji-an of all people. It's so cringeworthy.
It's not an appropriate expression to use for a close friend... but that was the only word that came to mind.
It made her reflect on herself.
Her dream was to become a great chef, but she wondered if she had ever put in that much effort for that dream.
Anyway, Ji-an now was different from before.
When he was in Korea, he was timid and lacked motivation in everything.
Seeing that Ji-an gritting his teeth and running towards his goal made her feel strangely proud of him.
His appearance, overcoming the sand on the beach that tried to hinder him and running on, was cool and admirable.
"..."
Suddenly, Kim Ji-woo lowered her gaze.
Then she clenched a handful of sand in her hand.
She clenched it tightly.
...These damn little grains of sand.
She couldn't curse out loud because her father—or rather, the man who was like her father—was there, but she was cursing on the inside.
Seeing this sand that kept grabbing at Ji-an's ankles made her think of some bad guys.
The guys from Juventus or whatever they were called.
The worst scum in the world who had tormented Ji-an like this sand.
She had only found out about what happened to Ji-an recently. It must have been the morning of the day Ji-an left for a match.
She had been searching for Ji-an's name as usual and happened to see it.
That such a thing had happened to Ji-an.
"...Hup."
Just thinking about it made her want to curse again.
Thinking that Ji-an had gone through such a thing, thinking about how much he must have suffered mentally, made her heart ache.
He was already a delicate kid, so how much must he have struggled? It was heartbreaking.
But Ji-an didn't fall.
Just as he was now, trampling on the sand that tried to grab his ankles and running forward.
Ji-an didn't fall, and in the end, he gave those bad guys a hit—or rather, two.
It's a bit embarrassing to say, but she cried a little watching that. She had wanted him to win more than ever, and when he actually won, she felt inexplicably grateful.
It was a good thing she had watched the match alone in her room, as she had expected she might get emotional.
"..."
The corners of Kim Ji-woo's lips, which had been drooping, curved upwards.
Anyway, it was true even before, but ever since she found out about that incident, she couldn't help but cheer for Ji-an even more.
No matter what happens in the future, no matter what situation arises, she was going to cheer for Ji-an and believe in him.
Winning or losing a match wasn't important.
It's not cool just because he's good at soccer.
It's cool that he endures the pain and works so hard.
Isn't that enough?
Well... it's a bonus that his whole body being drenched in sweat and gasping for breath is also handsome.
'...It's unfair.'
Kim Ji-woo chuckled.
He's a bit shy, a little timid, sometimes snappy, and knows nothing but soccer.
But aside from that, he's nothing but amazing.
So amazing it makes her jealous.
Even a guy like Ji-an works that hard, so she felt she couldn't just sit still either.
Hmm.
But all she can do is cheer, so what should she do?
Ah! Wait.
Ji-an loves her cooking the most, so she can just make him a lot of delicious food.
And that's her specialty, isn't it?
Perfect.
Just as Ji-an is training, tonight's dinner will be a special cooking training session. She'll use all her skills to make him something delicious.
Just as Kim Ji-woo made up her mind and nodded with her lips pressed together,
"......Oh my."
Kim Ji-woo, who was looking at Ji-an in the distance again, quickly covered her eyes with her hands.
In the short time she had looked away, the four men's outfits had become much lighter.
No, not just lighter, but skin was all she could see.
"Oh my... oh my..."
Through the gaps she made by spreading her fingers, Kim Ji-woo's eyes darted around.
···
"Huff... huff..."
She couldn't think of anything, and she couldn't hear any sounds. All she could hear was the rough sound of her own heartbeat.
They say that if you train just moderately hard, you want to live, but if you train truly hard, you want to die.
Right now, it was so hard she wanted to die.
"Aaaah-!"
"Just kill me..."
It seemed she wasn't the only one thinking that.
Moans could be heard from all over.
The coach, the assistant coach, and Gino, who had run on the beach with her, were also sprawled out wherever they pleased, just gasping for breath.
It wouldn't be strange if one of them just dropped dead right now.
So we had to lie there under the scorching sun for a long time, just catching our breath.
"Hoo. I really feel like I'm going to die, but time really does fly, doesn't it?"
"That's for sure. It's already been a week since Ji-an came."
At the coach's words, the assistant coach answered.
I nodded in agreement.
Time really does fly.
It's already been a week since we arrived on this island.
It felt like just yesterday we got here, but the day we have to take the flight back to Florence is already three days away.
And we've been doing this for a whole week.
"Gino and Ji-an. How is it? Do you feel your stamina building up?"
"Yes." "Yes."
At the coach's question, Gino and I answered at the same time.
I wondered if a week could make a big difference, but it really has increased a lot.
On the first day, I couldn't even do 20 round trips from one end of the beach to the other, but today, the seventh day, I did over 30.
I'd say that's enough to add about 10 minutes of playing time in a match.
"Everyone's bodies seem to have gotten better too."
It's not just simple cardio endurance; I feel like my body's balance has improved significantly.
The day after first running on this beach, I was so sore all over I thought I was going to die.
The assistant coach said it was because I was using muscles I don't usually use.
Unlike flat ground, the beach isn't flat, and your feet sink deep, so you use a lot more muscles to maintain balance.
Maybe because of that, I even felt an inexplicable confidence that I could handle physical battles with most players when I go back.
It was a meaningful time.
"While we're at it, should we make a comeback? With our current physical condition, we might be better than our playing days."
"We could totally compete for a starting spot on the first team."
Laughing like that, feeling a bit proud, Gino said,
"Thank you so much for running with me, Coach. Assistant Coach. If you hadn't run with me, I don't think I could have gone this far."
"That's right. We worked pretty hard for our age too."
"Don't mention it. We're more grateful that you followed along without a word."
At the coach and assistant coach's answers, Gino smiled broadly, then looked at me and said,
"Ji-an. Thank you."
"...Me?"
"Yeah. If it weren't for the assistant coach, I would have run one extra lap, and if it weren't for the coach, I would have run one more... but because of you, I think I was able to run three extra laps."
...I didn't do anything?
As I tilted my head in confusion, Gino scratched his short hair and said,
"I got a lot of stimulation. If a genius like you is training this hard, someone like me can't just half-ass it, right? So I really gritted my teeth and ran."
"A genius? What am I..."
Who's calling who a genius?
As I flustered and tried to brush it off, Gino looked at the coach and assistant coach and grinned.
"He still hasn't fixed that? I thought he would have been completely cured by now."
At Gino's words, the coach and assistant coach just smiled instead of answering.
...What does that mean?
"Ji-an."
"Yeah?"
"You need to trust yourself a little more. I don't know who's giving advice to whom, but... it's something I've wanted to tell you for a long time."
"..."
"I worked hard too. But it was hard even to get into the U19 team matches, let alone the first team. And you're a year younger than me, but you're playing in the first team. And you're doing amazing."
As I sat there silently, Gino put his hand on my shoulder.
"You really are a genius. So, you know? You don't have to be so humble. If I were you, I'd be walking around with my chest puffed out, saying I'm the best in the world. I'm really jealous."
Gino said this and patted my shoulder, and the coach and assistant coach laughed.
...I feel strange.
That strange feeling I had on the first day when I heard Gino's story is coming back.
Gino calling me a genius. It feels like the world has been turned upside down.
But... hmm.
For some reason, hearing Gino say that makes me feel like I can stand a little taller.
Hah. I don't know.
I looked at the sea with its gentle waves.
I still felt a subtle sense of unease.
"By the way, Ji-an?"
"...Yes?"
As I was looking at the sea, I answered the assistant coach's call, and he said,
"What are you doing tomorrow? Do you have anything planned?"
"...Tomorrow? I have to... train?"
"What? Train?"
"Why...?"
At my answer, the assistant coach's face contorts.
Not only him, but the coach and Gino also look at me with strange expressions.
...Why?
"Looks like he's forgotten the date. Don't you know what day it is tomorrow?"
"...What day is it?"
"December 24th. It's Christmas Eve. You're going to leave your girlfriend on the eve of Christmas and go train?"
"Ji-an. Even if the coach is on your side, I can't be right now."
"I agree."
...Ah.
Now that I think about it, the time has come so quickly.
Christmas Eve...
But is it necessary to do something?
"Of course, you idiot! You came on a vacation to this wonderful island with her on Christmas Eve, and you have no plans?"
"That's not right, Ji-an. Your friend is probably looking forward to it a lot."
Ah, no.
Is that so?
Suddenly, my head became a mess.
She's probably looking forward to it a lot?
What... what should I do?
Should I ask my dad?
"..."
No.
Asking my dad... it wasn't a good topic.
...Hmm.
I suddenly felt sorry for my dad.