Pride on the Pitch
After Director Wang's visit, the scheduled construction began on the empty lot.
The construction schedule had already been set when they took over the land, so it was impossible to change. Because of this, the stray dogs that used to run around the empty lot had no choice but to move inside the fence.
Pant, pant!
Woof, woof!
Whine...
"It's tough, isn't it? Just hang in there a little longer. Once the center opens soon, you'll be able to live comfortably there."
As he spoke, Dojin looked around.
This area on the outskirts of the Sekki House playground, which originally only housed a warehouse, was now the temporary home for the stray dogs. It was the most suitable spot since it was far from the mountain and also at a distance from the waterway where the otters lived.
It doesn't look like much since I just partitioned the space with temporary fences, Dojin thought.
But since they were scheduled to move to the stray animal center in a few weeks anyway, this was more than enough. In fact, if he put too much effort into building it, cleaning it up later would only be a hassle.
Of course, it wasn't Dojin who would be doing the cleaning himself.
"Boss, we've moved everything."
"Ah, good work."
Dojin, who had been inspecting various parts of the fence for a while, greeted Shan-hun and Begter as they came out of the warehouse.
Honestly, it's hard to imagine life without this family now.
The reason he had hired Shan-hun was simple. After spending a few days together, he realized Shan-hun had a wonderful character, and since he happened to need an employee to help him, he had simply made the offer. Yet, actually living and working with Shan-hun's family turned out to be incredibly comfortable.
They have great work ethic, and they're all so pure-hearted.
They were the kind of people who, if Dojin gave them ten, would return a hundred. They never even tried to cut corners. Just look at them now—they had just finished stacking dog food in the warehouse. It hadn't even been twenty minutes since the temporary fence was installed, yet they had already brought all the feed over.
Anyone else would have taken a break by now.
Shan-hun and Begter handled their tasks as if they didn't even know what the word "rest" meant.
"You've both worked hard since this morning, so take a break. It's almost lunchtime anyway."
"Boss, there is still one hour left until lunch. Plenty of time," Shan-hun said.
"Make furniture for shower room," Begter added.
"..."
It was always like this. Even when Dojin told them to rest, they never wasted a single moment.
Sigh, being a workaholic to this extent is practically an illness.
Dojin himself had been a famous workaholic back when he worked at the factory. His seniors used to stop him and tell him to rest, just like he was doing now. But even to Dojin, these two were on another level.
I guess I have no choice. I wanted to let them rest comfortably, but...
It had already been a month since they started living with Shan-hun's family. Dojin hadn't just been idling during that time, so he now understood the family quite well. Dojin turned around and spoke.
"You're going to make shelves for the shower room? Ah, then I should probably do that myself."
Because he trailed off at the end, the last part of his sentence was barely audible. Anyone else wouldn't have even caught it, or even if they did, they would have ignored it. But the two brothers were different.
"Urgent work? What is it, Boss?" Shan-hun asked.
"Tell us the work. We will do it," Begter chimed in.
Dojin curled his lips into a smirk. The moment they finished speaking, they practically begged for work. If he hadn't turned his back beforehand, his intentions would have been exposed instantly.
Ahem!
Dojin cleared his throat to compose his expression before turning back to face them. He made sure to put on a slightly surprised look.
"Oh? You heard that? It's fine. You've worked so hard already, so I should handle this much. You two go and get some rest."
He wasn't actually going to rest; he was planning to build the shower room shelves that the stray dogs had broken. But Dojin intentionally phrased it this way. That way, the two brothers would misunderstand and think the task ahead was much more difficult and grueling. And Dojin's prediction hit the mark perfectly.
"It is okay. We still have plenty of time," Shan-hun insisted.
"Please tell us. We will do it," Begter urged.
At their persistent demands, Dojin put on a feigned look of reluctance. However, his mind was coolly analyzing the situation. He was waiting for the perfect moment to speak.
If I refuse too much, Shan-hun will give up. But if I ask too easily, they'll be suspicious.
Being pure-hearted didn't mean they were stupid. In fact, their intelligence was well above the average Korean IQ. They simply chose not to use their brains to slack off.
"Ah... well..."
Once the timing felt right to avoid suspicion, Dojin spoke with an apologetic expression.
"Tomorrow and the day after, the veterinary director is visiting. But last time, he said the dogs' condition was too poor, so he insisted I make sure they get some exercise before his next visit..."
Trailing off, Dojin pointed toward the stray dogs and gave an awkward smile.
"I'm just not sure if I can get all of them exercised by today."
Hearing Dojin's words, the two looked inside the fence and nodded. It certainly seemed impossible for Dojin to exercise this many dogs all by himself.
"We will do it. Boss, you rest," Shan-hun said.
"Oh? No, I'll help too. There are so many of them."
"No. We run with animals on the steppe. It is much easier for us," Shan-hun insisted.
"Dog, exercise. We do well," Begter added.
Thumping their chests as if to say leave it to us, the two brothers sent Dojin back toward the main building and opened the fence. Watching them, Dojin clenched his fist as he walked away.
Yes!
Dojin screamed inwardly at the result, which was far better than he had anticipated.
Normally, it wouldn't have been this easy to pull off. But fortunately, Dojin had done something similar not too long ago.
Who knew bathing the dogs would help like this? It was so exhausting back then I thought I was going to die.
He hadn't even done it alone; he had washed the stray dogs alongside his girlfriend, Do-hee, and his employee, Seung-wan. Although Begter and Obei had helped later on, it had started with the three of them. Because of that precedent, the two brothers didn't suspect anything when Dojin said he was going to exercise the dogs. They simply assumed it was just the kind of thing Dojin would do.
Just then, Dojin's eyes caught sight of a ball lying in the corner of the playground. It looked like the security team had left it behind after playing soccer.
Maybe it's because they play so often, but that ball is in terrible shape.
Dojin stepped on the ball and frowned. He could feel that the paint had peeled off significantly and the leather itself was badly worn.
I'll have to buy some more equipment soon.
Dojin had provided various sports equipment as a form of welfare for the security team, who worked in rotating shifts. But of course, some sports were more popular than others, and soccer was one of them. As a result, out of the five soccer balls they originally had, only two remained. Three had popped or gotten punctured, and the remaining two were in terrible condition, just like the one in front of him.
"I should just throw this away."
Looking closely, the ball wasn't even round anymore; it was slightly warped. If they kept playing with it, it would bounce unpredictably like a rugby ball. Having made up his mind, Dojin kicked the ball toward the recycling area.
Thud!
"Ah, the trajectory really is awful."
The ball flew straight immediately after the kick, but once it hit the ground, it began rolling in random directions. Still, it rolled roughly toward the target, so a few more kicks would probably get it there. That is, if someone hadn't interrupted him.
Bark! Bark!
Woof!
"Huh?"
Hearing the sudden barking behind him, Dojin turned around and froze. The stray dogs that had just been let out of the fence were charging toward him in unison.
"Uh, wait...?"
Patter-patter-patter!
In an instant, the dogs rushed past Dojin and headed straight for the ball. Their target had been the ball from the very beginning. However, because the competition was so fierce, the ball ended up trapped under a flurry of paws and wouldn't budge.
Just then, Shan-hun slipped in among the dogs.
"Out of the way!"
Snatching the ball from the dogs in the blink of an eye, Shan-hun toyed with them using dazzling dribbling skills before lightly lofting the ball. Begter, who was standing further away, trapped the ball with ease.
"Oh! Shan-hun, you're really good at soccer?"
"Mongolians love ball games. I was the best in our ger village," Shan-hun said, puffing out his chest. It was a complete departure from his usual humble self, who would normally downplay any compliment.
Dojin let out a chuckle.
I guess Mongolians have soccer pride too.
But looking at his display just now, it didn't seem like empty boasting. Moreover, looking closely at Begter, his skills were also extraordinary. He was easily shaking off the dogs that chased after the ball. No, to be precise, he was practically playing with them.
"Begter is pretty good too. Was your brother also one of the best in the ger village?"
At Dojin's question, Shan-hun shook his head.
"Begter was a substitute. You cannot play matches with that level of skill."
"With that level?"
Surprised by Shan-hun's answer, Dojin looked at Begter again. The way he suddenly accelerated, stopped, and cut from right to left while dribbling was, by no means, the level of a mere substitute.
Just then, the voices of the security team members passing nearby reached their ears.
"Oh, he's pretty good. Hey, go recruit him for your squad right now."
"Hmm, he's decent, but we can all play at that level, can't we?"
"Pfft! Your squad? Is that why your record is all losses?"
"What are you talking about? That's only because we played right after finishing the night shift. Hey, instead of that, why don't we recruit him to replace you? Your dribbling was a total mess last time."
"Whoa, crossing the line there, aren't you? Hey, I'm the Son Heung-min of Daejeon. Who are you comparing me to?"
"Son Heung-min? More like Son Heung-miss. You let the ball slip through your legs every time you touch it. Stop talking and go recruit him. He's a million times better than you."
"Whatever. In our squad, someone of that level wouldn't even make the bench."
"A-Ahem!"
As their conversation grew louder, Dojin quickly gave a warning cough. No matter how much they were joking, it wasn't right to belittle someone's younger brother right in front of the older brother.
"CEO, is something wrong with your..."
The security guard trailed off, his face turning pale. They had noticed Dojin from a distance, but they had only just realized Shan-hun was standing right next to him. Having just gossiped about Begter's soccer skills, the two guards found themselves in a very awkward position.
To break the awkward silence, Dojin spoke up.
"Ahem! Out on patrol, I see?"
"Yes, yes! We're on the morning shift today."
"B-But what brings you and Mr. Shan-hun here, CEO...?"
"Ah, we finished our morning work and were exercising the stray dogs. Right, Shan-hun?"
"Yes, Boss."
Shan-hun nodded readily at Dojin's words. On the surface, he didn't seem to care much about what the guards had said.
Just as the two guards were about to sigh in relief, Shan-hun spoke.
"It is okay. Begter is not good at soccer. He was a substitute in our village too."
"Ah... yes."
"W-We're sorry."
Seeing Shan-hun bring it up first, the security guards quickly apologized. They hadn't said anything malicious, but it still wasn't something a family member would enjoy hearing. Fortunately, Shan-hun didn't seem to mind.
"His soccer skills have gotten even worse since coming to Korea. Because there is no one to play with."
"Ah, then would you like to play a game with us next time?"
"Yeah. We were getting bored playing with the same people all the time anyway."
Interpreting Shan-hun's words as a request to join in, the security guards naturally extended an invitation. It seemed today's incident would be remembered as nothing more than a minor misunderstanding. That is, until Shan-hun spoke his next words.
"What? We cannot play soccer together. Korean people are fragile. If we play together, you will get hurt."
"...Excuse me?"
"..."
"Mongolians do not lose physical battles even when playing ball with livestock. But Korean people fall over if you just nudge them. It is dangerous."
"...Mmh."
Listening to Shan-hun, Dojin let out a low groan. He realized it now.
He's not okay with it at all. He's furious.
It seemed the security team's comments had severely wounded his pride. Because his expression remained so calm, Dojin hadn't noticed at all.
"Ahem, is that so? But actually, we're more worried about you and Begter..."
"Yeah. We know you're fast, but you're a bit on the shorter and smaller side. We're not sure if you can handle the physical contact..."
Shan-hun was about 175 centimeters tall, and Begter barely reached 170. In contrast, most of the security team members were over 180 centimeters tall, and because of the nature of their job, they lifted weights regularly, giving them burly physiques. To any outsider, ninety-nine times out of a hundred, they would assume the security team was stronger.
...Well, I don't know about that. Except for a few guys on the security team, I don't think they could even beat Begter, let alone Shan-hun.
Dojin acknowledged that the security team was in great shape, but the muscles of the two brothers were on a completely different level. They were practically made of stone. And they were talking about physical contact to someone like Shan-hun? If it were Dojin, he would never have dared to utter those words.
"Security team is strong. But Mongolians..."
"Right, we know you have great stamina, Mr. Shan-hun. But working and sports are different..."
"We even raise wolves and play with them..."
"Still, animals can't beat humans. Soccer is a game of..."
A heated debate quickly erupted between Shan-hun and the security team. While claiming to respect each other, both sides kept asserting their superiority until they finally reached the same conclusion.
"Let us play a match. Mongolians versus Koreans," Shan-hun challenged.
"That sounds like a plan. We'll put a team together, so just let us know the date in advance," the guard replied.
"But we don't have enough players on our side. Is that okay? If you want, we can balance the numbers, or we can lend you some players."
"No. It is fine. Instead, we will play with dogs to make up the numbers."
"With the stray dogs?"
"Sure, go ahead. Since you said you played soccer with wolves back home, that should be fine."
"Wait, what? Hold on!"
Before Dojin could even try to stop them, the match was set.
Mongolians and stray dogs versus the Korean security team.
What on earth is this? Not only are the nationalities different, but even the species are different! Why are they playing a match like this...?
It was a soccer match with a lineup that wouldn't even appear on a variety show. Because of this, Dojin naturally assumed the match would quietly fizzle out. No sensible person would actually go through with such a game.
"They really are senseless people."
"Huh? Oppa, what did you say?"
"Nothing."
Looking down at the playground from the podium, Dojin looked like he had aged several years. This ridiculous match was actually happening.
I can understand Shan-hun since he was directly involved, but why didn't Team Leader Hong stop this?
Far from stopping it, word had it that Team Leader Hong had been even more proactive in preparing for the match, from selecting players to drawing up strategies.
This damn soccer pride, seriously!
The three favorite conversation topics of Korean men are famous: the military, soccer, and playing soccer in the military. But that saying wasn't just a joke. When it came to soccer pride, Korea was a country crazy enough to rival the sport's nation of origin. Yet, in Dojin's eyes, Mongolia was a country with just as much soccer pride.
"The whole family turned out."
He had thought only Shan-hun and Begter would play, but even Altani and Obei were warming up on the field. It was clear they were at 120% seriousness. But what shocked Dojin the most lay elsewhere.
"...But why is she over there?" Dojin asked, pointing to a corner of the field.
There stood Sun-jam, warming up alongside Altani. She was fully decked out in a soccer uniform and cleats.
Don't tell me she asked me to buy those just to play in this match.
Dojin hated himself for granting Sun-jam's request without asking any questions.
"She said she has to play because she's Mongolian too."
"...How?"
"She said she's going to ride Ttorang-i."
"..."
At this point, it was starting to get scary. It was bad enough that the wife and sister were playing, and the missing players were replaced by stray dogs, but sending a five-year-old daughter onto the pitch was definitely not normal.
"...Call the medical team. Just in case Sun-jam gets hurt."
"They're already waiting down there. Team Leader Hong and Shan-hun requested it."
"How thorough."
Realizing there was no turning back now, Dojin stood up. It was time to start the match. Grabbing the whistle he had received earlier, Dojin gave one last word of caution.
"Everyone, please don't get hurt, and let's have fun without any hard feelings. We are all one family. Understood?"
"Yes!"
Watching the players answer in unison, Dojin shook his head. He could see that, contrary to their words, their eyes were bloodshot with competitive fire.
Please, just don't let there be any bloodshed.
Tweet!
Right after a resigned Dojin blew the whistle.
Thwack!
"...Huh?"
"...?"
Everyone on the field froze. The moment the match started, the girl-and-dog duo waiting at the center line charged forward and scored a goal. It was the first goal for Sun-jam riding Ttorang-i, and the very first goal of the match.
"Oh! My daughter! You're the best!"
"Good job!"
"Hehe."
Shan-hun and his family rushed over to Sun-jam, who had returned in an instant. They looked like the ultimate doting family, but unfortunately, no one outside of Shan-hun's family was touched by the scene.
"...If they're not careful, they're going to get absolutely slaughtered."
Only Dojin feared the future that was about to unfold. And his worries became reality.
Needless to say, there was no need to ask which side was cheering in victory at the end.