Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: Goddess of Victory - 2
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When traveling to away games by plane, we usually take a small plane from a small airport.
Not a massive international airport or a big plane, but something just a little bigger than a bus terminal.
Thanks to that, there are almost no procedures to go through to get on the plane, and since only players and team staff are on board, there's no need to worry about being pestered by the public.
It's hard to explain. It's not a private jet, but for the moment we're on it, it feels like one.
It was incredibly comfortable.
And, it gave us a bit of a confidence boost.
A plane flying through the sky just for us.
You can't help but feel like you've become someone special.
Of course, it's true that with such treatment comes the pressure to perform even better.
Anyway, for this away game against AC Milan, we were scheduled to fly.
But I couldn't get on that plane.
Because I had said something to Ji-woo.
I had asked her to come with me, and if I then took the plane by myself and told her to take a bus or a train, that would just be absurd.
So, I decided to take a bus with Ji-woo and go together, and I reported this to the Coach.
But the Coach flew into a rage, saying that was ridiculous.
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"That's out of the question! How can you go separately? We can make room. What's the problem with one more person getting on?"
"Th-that's against team policy..."
"Policy? What, that only players can ride? Tell them to shove it. There are always exceptions! For your request, how could there be any problem?"
"B-but... I feel a bit awkward about it..."
"Awkward? Who's giving you the side-eye? Who is it? Just tell me. I'll put them on the release list right away."
"No, it's not that..."
I said it was fine, that I didn't want to be a bother, but that only made the Coach even more angry.
"Ah, so you're worried other bastards will hit on her? Then I'll make the other bastards take the bus. You two can take the plane."
"Ah, no..."
"Or should I charter a separate plane just for you?"
"...I'll just do as you say, Coach..."
In the end, that's how it happened.
Ji-woo would fly with me.
The Coach was so adamant about it, I had no choice.
Regardless, even though the Coach said that, I had to get permission from the other players first, as it could be a bother to them.
But the senior players' reactions weren't much different.
"Ooh! You lovebird!"
"Look at this guy. I thought he didn't know anything but soccer. Was he a step above us?"
"What is there for us to permit? And don't you ask for favors. Just give orders. That's more comfortable for us."
"Should we prepare a red carpet or something?"
All the seniors readily agreed, saying there was no need for permission and that it was no problem at all.
In fact, they even had excited looks on their faces, which made me feel even more burdened and worried.
They were already a playful bunch, and I was worried they might play mischievous pranks in front of Ji-woo.
So, I didn't forget to give them a warning.
"Uh, while we're together, could you please not talk about girlfriend stuff..."
"We know, we know."
"You're saying to be careful because she's not your girlfriend yet? Got it."
"...Yes. And, uh..."
"What? Just say it."
"Could you please stop treating me like the youngest so much..."
"Hm? Ah, hahaha! Of course! We're all men, you think we'd do that? You cute little punk!"
...Yeah, things like that.
I asked them to at least refrain from pinching my cheeks like they were doing now.
I mean, I know they're just showing their familiarity...
But I didn't want to show Ji-woo that I was being treated like a baby.
"Phew..."
I made the request, but I still couldn't get rid of my worries. It seems things got weird because of a misunderstanding I had all on my own.
We were about to play against the top team in the league, and here I was worrying about this. I wondered if this was really the right thing to be doing.
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For some reason, I was incredibly nervous.
I felt almost the same as I did before my debut match.
It was the moment we entered the airport together.
For some reason, I was trembling so much my hands were sweating. Ji-woo even asked me why I was like this.
I don't know.
Thinking about it, it might be because this was the first time my acquaintances were meeting Ji-woo.
But I still don't know why that would be such a nerve-wracking event.
Anyway, that's how it was, and I had to swallow my saliva and enter the airport...
"You're here!" "Welcome!" "We've been waiting!"
The moment I opened the door to the waiting room and stepped in, the seniors all bowed their heads to greet me, and I was at a loss for words.
*
"Please, get on. We will make your journey comfortable."
"Ah, th-thank you..."
Sapora, acting like some kind of flight attendant, guided us, and Ji-woo, bowing her head deeply, boarded the plane.
Wink-
I nodded at Sapora, who gave me a wink as if to say, "See? I did good?", and then I boarded the plane after her.
Of course, on the inside, I sighed.
I had expected this would happen.
For some reason, I felt the seniors wouldn't just let this slide. Even though I got them to promise they wouldn't play pranks, there was no way they'd keep it.
I don't know what was going through the seniors' heads, but they seemed to have adopted the concept of a mafia group.
And I was the boss.
I mean, I asked them not to treat me like the youngest, but I didn't ask for all this...
There's no in-between. No in-between.
"Is it okay if I sit here...?"
Ji-woo, who was walking ahead, whispered to me.
For some reason, Ji-woo had also become all timid. Just a moment ago, she was super excited about going to Milan, but now she couldn't even speak properly.
This was the first time I'd seen her like this, so I was amazed.
"Please sit wherever you're comfortable! Two seats, no, you can use four seats! Around here, Lee Ji-an's word is law, so feel free to do as you please."
"...She said to sit anywhere."
"Ah, ah. Then here..."
"I'll sit here."
Anyway, both of us sat down, sweating bullets.
Since when was taking a plane this hard?
I caused this. What kind of plane atmosphere is this for a team that's about to play the top team in the league...
I shook my head and was organizing my luggage when a commotion erupted from the front.
I turned my head to look...
"L-let go...!"
"Tsk, tsk. This kid. Hohoho!"
Rica Romero was being dragged away with his mouth covered by the captain.
What is he doing now?
"I want to sit next to you too...!"
"Ah, you want to sit here? Good boy."
"Geniuses stick together... mmmph!"
I don't know what it was about, but it seemed the captain was handling things well.
He was the type to spout so much nonsense...
I was at the point of sighing just thinking about how much of a bother he was during training.
Things like, "Let's join forces as geniuses and lead the team to victory," "What's your daily routine like," "The hardships of a genius," and so on...
Since the captain was dealing with that kid, we could at least have a quiet trip.
"Was that it?"
"...What?"
I finished organizing my luggage and sat down, and Ji-woo asked.
"I mean, what do you usually do to make them all act so subservient to you?"
"...They're all just joking around."
"Doesn't seem like it. Did you by any chance tell them they're bad at soccer or something? Maybe you make them line up and give them a scolding?"
I looked at her with an incredulous expression, and Ji-woo let out a small laugh.
She must find it funny to imagine.
"Anyway, well. You look a bit different? Is this what our Ji-an is like?"
"What do you mean, 'like this'..."
"I was worried you'd get bullied. Wow, it was the complete opposite. Those scary-looking guys can't do a thing to you?"
I let out a sigh instead of answering and reclined Ji-woo's seatback.
"What's up? Why are you reclining it?"
"Since it's just us, we might as well. Let's just sleep."
"Then give me a blanket. How can I trust you like this."
"......Wait a sec."
What on earth is she talking about?
But is there even a blanket or something?
I got up from my seat to look, and I witnessed a shocking sight.
It was because the Coach was coming over holding a pouch containing slippers, earplugs, and the like, along with a blanket.
"C-Coach...?"
"Excuse me-"
The Coach appeared, and Ji-woo, who had been half-lying down, shot up.
The Coach smiled kindly and handed over the pouch and blanket.
"I hope you have a comfortable flight."
With that, the Coach even bowed his head and turned back, and I had to let out another sigh and sit down.
Ji-woo asked with a bewildered expression.
"Isn't that the Coach...?"
"...It is."
"Wow. You, even the Coach..."
"It's not like that."
Just how serious are these people about their pranks?
Is it that much fun to tease me?
I shook my head and reclined my seat.
...Still, I was grateful on the inside.
*
Fiorentina's captain, Villaggio, gathered the players two days before departing for Milan.
He gathered everyone except Lee Ji-an and made a proposal.
"Let's give the little guy a real confidence boost."
For some reason, he said Lee Ji-an's girlfriend would be accompanying them on the trip to Milan.
On the same plane.
They were men, so they all knew. How much boys that age live and die by their "image."
Especially in front of a girl they like, a 16-year-old boy would do anything.
So they planned it.
The "Give the Little Guy a Confidence Boost" Project.
The overall concept was proposed by Villaggio, and the details were filled in through a quick meeting.
They all participated more seriously and actively than they did in tactical meetings.
Vincenzo, who happened to be passing by, clicked his tongue, but he even asked for a role for himself.
And so, they each fulfilled their roles faithfully. There were a few close calls where they almost burst out laughing, but...
The plan went smoothly, and the plane was flying safely toward Milan.
"Did you see earlier? How puffed up his shoulders were."
"He acts like he doesn't care, but he's enjoying it. What a cute kid."
"At times like this, he's just a kid. But on the field, how does he change so much?"
The players whispered as they looked at Lee Ji-an, who was buried in his seat and sleeping. Kim Ji-woo was next to him, and both of them were just so cute, they didn't know why.
Some of the players felt their own age.
Because the two of them looked like a son and a daughter.
Captain Villaggio also smiled as he looked at the two of them, and at the players who were sneaking peeks at them.
In fact, this was a very crucial moment.
It was a match against AC Milan, who were leading the league. It was a match they had to pour everything into, and if they lost, it wouldn't just be a simple loss; it would surely bring a backlash.
It could put a damper on the momentum they had been building.
So, the training atmosphere this week had been very solemn. Maybe because everyone had a strong sense that they had to do well, they all looked burdened.
The air at the training ground was heavy.
If it were the old days, they wouldn't have been like this.
When facing a strong team like this, the atmosphere used to be more relaxed.
It was probably because they thought it was okay to lose.
But now, for some reason, they kept winning, their rank kept rising, and the fans' expectations were getting hotter. They couldn't be like that anymore.
Everyone was silent, but they must have been feeling the pressure.
So, they wanted to lighten the mood once. They saw this as a perfect opportunity and staged this play for the youngest member.
Thanks to that, everyone was heading to Milan with a smile.
In fact, the atmosphere was so good, you'd wonder if the players even had the match on their minds.
'What a cute kid.'
Villaggio looked at Lee Ji-an with a dad-like smile. He was a kid with a really human charm. Even if he were less good at soccer, he would have been popular.
It felt like, you really wanted to root for him.
Having a kid like that as the youngest made the team feel unified. In the past, he had a hard time as the captain, but lately, there wasn't much he had to do.
The team was one, and the center of it was that cute little brat.
Even a veteran with enough charisma couldn't change the mood like this. Maybe changing the world isn't about charisma, but about being cute.
"......I can hear everything."
"Huh!"
"Mmm!"
The players, who had been secretly watching the two little ones, flinched and covered their mouths.
It was because Lee Ji-an, who they thought was asleep, opened his eyes and spoke.
Lee Ji-an let out a sigh and sat up.
"You weren't asleep?"
"How could I sleep when everyone was staring at me so intensely..."
"...Did you feel it?"
"It's your fault, you punk. Keep your voice down."
"Why is it my fault? It's your fault."
From the looks of it, you couldn't tell who the cute youngest was and who the seniors were.
Villaggio smacked the backs of the heads of Saponara and Bonaventura, who had been the loudest, and asked Lee Ji-an.
"By the way, why are you going together this time? Is it okay if I ask?"
"Huh? Ah... well..."
Lee Ji-an scratched his head for a moment.
And then he answered after a while.
"It's a kind of superstition, I guess."
"A superstition?"
"Yes. The games he watches live, we've never lost... We won all our home games, right? We have a really important game this time, so..."
At Lee Ji-an's answer, everyone looked at each other and marveled.
Bonaventura said.
"Wow, then there's nothing to worry about. The Goddess of Victory is with us, so what is there to worry about?"
"Ooh, so she's not just your girlfriend, she's the Goddess of Victory!"
"No wonder we always win when Ji-an plays. We were under the protection of the Goddess of Victory!"
"Shh... be quiet..."
Lee Ji-an put a finger to his lips, but he couldn't stop the players from bursting out laughing.
And Kim Ji-woo also had a hard time suppressing her own laughter.
'Goddess of Victory...?'
Kim Ji-woo had only pretended to be asleep, but she couldn't sleep well, so she just had her eyes closed.
Kim Ji-woo turned her body toward the window, pretending to toss and turn, and raised the corners of her mouth.
'Not bad...?'