Naturalization?
The news from the association reached me through the furious father-in-law and Chairman Hwang Geum-sun.
I was at a loss for words after seeing the information passed along by my father-in-law and Chairman Hwang Geum-sun. I'd been uneasy about how strangely quiet the association bastards had been, but I never imagined they'd actually cause a real shitstorm.
As I read the enraged messages from my father-in-law and Chairman Hwang Geum-sun...
I suddenly thought of Coach Choi Gi-hyeon.
'Did Coach Choi know about this?'
I shared the info my father-in-law had sent with Coach Choi and subtly probed. If Coach Choi, whose connection with me started from Geum-sun High, had betrayed me, it would've hurt a bit.
'Why are you asking me?'
Fortunately, Coach Choi seemed unaware of the association's rash move. I couldn't help but smile at how he was asking me what was happening.
Well, it made sense. After Jo Yeon-jong, the football association president, got arrested on embezzlement charges, Coach Choi's position had become ambiguous.
Coach Choi, flustered and rambling incoherently, vanished after saying he'd look into it with the association.
"Jinho! Let's naturalize! And get revenge on the Korea Football Association that way!"
In the meantime, Winter, her face flushed with anger after reading the group chat, stormed over huffing and puffing.
"Winter, why are you crying."
"Hic, hng... I... I'm not."
I lightly hugged Winter, whose eyes were red and bloodshot, and patted her back.
"Winter, let's retire from the national team and use that time to go on dates instead."
Normally, the association or media might've spouted crap like 'not your body, but the country's body,' but who could say shit if I declared retirement in this situation?
'Well... I haven't ruled out naturalizing for revenge like Winter said.'
I decided to return to my original resolve. Rather than becoming the best soccer player, I wanted to be the best boyfriend and husband.
And honestly, I'd played enough A-matches in my previous life, so I had no real desire to cling to the national team.
When Germany offered naturalization, I'd briefly lusted after the World Cup trophy... but thinking about it, Germany had plummeted after the 2014 Brazil World Cup anyway.
Sure, I could change that if I played, but there was no need to naturalize to Germany and become their scapegoat totem.
'And they might respect my choice now, but if we face off in the 2018 Russia World Cup as opponents, they'll call me a traitor again.'
I didn't mind the hate aimed at me, but by then, my relationship with Winter would've leaked to the media, and she'd face indiscriminate insults and malicious comments. Finishing that thought, I burst out laughing at Winter's tear-streaked mess of a face and asked,
"Any place you wanna go for a date?"
"...Amusement park."
Han Gyeowol bowed her head shyly and answered quietly.
As the article about the association's blunder slowly spread to European media...
Messages poured in from my hyungs I was close with.
The hyungs were more pissed off than me after this internally planned association article exploded.
Overseas players like heavy-hitter hyung Sung-ryong led the charge, slamming the association on SNS right away. Dortmund also declared support for me in media interviews.
So many people supporting me. Guess I've lived pretty decently all this time.
I didn't even need to go after the association—they were already getting trashed to dust.
Public opinion had turned its back on the football association.
'Yeah. Fuck off—you're the same scum.'
But I had no intention of letting the shitty reporters off.
What good does turning the knife around now do?
Too late to turn back.
Anyway, Mino tried to sway me back while pushing the lawsuits, but.
I didn't trust the association.
I recalled the association's surprise amnesty from the future. Iron rice bowl back then, even more now.
But taking all the hate and image damage...
Why not step down? Honey pot under the president's chair or what?
Whatever. Irrelevant to me, who'd decided on national team retirement.
The day after President Jeong Do-jun declared he'd keep his seat...
I declared my national team retirement on SNS. Hard to believe, but pure coincidence.