Off-Season (5)
There are four eyes gleaming with curiosity here.
"So?"
"And then?"
Miguel Amaro and Joni Montoya, fresh back from vacation, had rushed straight to this training center the moment I mentioned I'd share the story of what happened with Niela a few days ago. While they were at it, the two decided to dive right into training today. Ruben Soriano watched them with a nonstop smirk.
"At first, I was a bit thrown off. Of course I was—she just shows up out of nowhere."
"Right?"
"Totally."
To Spaniards, Niela was a massively famous singer. Great voice, stunning looks, killer dancer. The biggest reason I didn't know much about her was that her hit songs were in the Latin pop genre, huge in Spain and Latin America. Not many folks back in Korea were into Latin pop.
"She just comes out with it. Says she's dropping an album soon, shooting the title track's music video. But she hasn't found her male lead yet."
"Ooh!"
"No way?!"
When Niela had suddenly told me she'd "found" her guy, she meant the male actor for her video. Honestly, it had me tilting my head. A Latin pop star casting an Asian guy as the lead in her music video? It didn't quite add up.
And... there wasn't much reason behind it.
"I asked why. Why an Asian guy for the lead? Her answer was kinda anticlimactic."
"Why?"
"What'd she say?"
"Just that it'd be fresh. A ripped Asian dude shirtless on the beach striking poses would match her new song's vibe perfectly."
She'd added "handsome," but I didn't relay that part.
"She went into super detailed explanation about the video. Didn't even give me a chance to talk."
She described the new track as upbeat and rhythmic, timed for summer release. Logistically, dropping it soon made sense, but the video kept delaying things, and she kept sighing about it.
The concept was simple. Me shirtless on the beach about to hit the waves on a board, Niela spots me, falls hard at first sight, chases me down, and we fall in love. No dancing required from me.
"She had no idea you were a soccer player, right?"
"Yeah. I tried to tell her, but she was too excited spilling her plans."
Turned out, she'd pegged me as a model and pitched it that way. Even after I clarified I was a pro baller, she didn't bat an eye. If anything, she suggested using the video to boost my fame.
"Anyway, so? You in for the video? Whoa, does that mean you're friends with Niela now?"
"Might not stop at friends. Maybe...?!"
"Oooooh! Classic Theo! My buddy dating a pop star!"
"Then... us too...?!"
"Oooooooh!"
The two were already chugging bowls of wishful thinking kimchi soup.
I dashed their hopes with one word.
"Passed."
"...What?"
"...Why?"
Pride as a footballer? Nah. I just didn't want to act on camera, wasn't desperate enough to promo myself that way, and money wasn't an issue.
"Still, chance to get close to Niela!"
"Yeah! She said you could just stand there stone-faced!"
The duo mourned it like their own loss. Hmm. They were expecting something else and now it was gone, leaving them bummed.
"Ha... damn."
"Chance to Instagram-friend Niela... gone."
"Her friends too..."
"...Screw it."
I shook my head slowly at their gloom, and Ruben Soriano chuckled the whole time, finding us three adorable.
Training kicked off like that. I'd kept up workouts during vacation, so my condition was prime—impressing even Ruben and the trainers. Miguel and Joni, though? They'd really let loose; it'd take time to get back to baseline.
We were deep in it when—
"Theeeo!"
A clear, bright voice called from the training center door. In walked Niela, flanked by her burly entourage.
Miguel and Joni, struggling through their first real session, gaped at her.
I didn't flinch. After flat-out rejecting her video offer at our first meeting, she'd kept chatting me up, all friendly. She was prepping her comeback too, so showing here wasn't weird.
The issue was...
"Lunch? You eat?"
"Yeah."
"Dinner then? You haven't, right?"
"...Obviously."
"Yay! Perfect—I'm free tonight. Dinner together? My treat!"
"...Nah. On a diet."
"I know the chef! One word from me, he'll tailor it to you."
"......"
She stuck to my side nonstop.
I knew it wasn't about the video anymore. After my hard no, her label pushed to shoot ASAP, so she'd dropped the delays.
Up till then, I'd figured she'd lose interest.
Wrong.
"Luis, I'm training here today too."
"Not inside?"
Luis was Ruben's buddy he'd mentioned. He glanced my way, looking mildly troubled—and apologetic. Probably 'cause Niela might bug my workout.
Nah, she didn't really. She'd zip over only during my breaks, dump random chit-chat I didn't care about, then head back when rest ended.
But I seemed a tad uncomfortable, he couldn't corral her, and worst, she wasn't focusing on her own session. That was his beef.
"Inside's stuffy. Out here's got big windows."
"Inside has windows too, Niela."
"Too small. Hate small."
"Hmm... Promise me. Focus on training today."
"I always do?"
"Hmmm..."
"Got it, Luis. I'll focus. But aren't I basically done already?"
"Too early to slack. Skip the maintenance now, this killer body we built crumbles fast."
"Luis. Hard work doesn't vanish overnight."
"...Sigh."
Luis's quiet sigh echoed through the center.
I just kept at my routine.
Niela's interest? Not registering. Prepping for next season mattered a thousand times more.
...Not that it didn't ping my radar at all.
Her eyes on me nonstop? Felt it without looking.
A few days back, she'd dropped this out of nowhere:
She had a mysterious mask.
"The more I look, the more I'm drawn in..."
Tacked on with that.
...Wasn't hating it.
How many guys wouldn't like a beauty like that showing curiosity? Especially single ones.
Even so, no urge to date her.
...Got sex partners already.
Couldn't straight-up tell her like I did Yuko: "Sex partner or bust."
Didn't even cross my mind.
Getting tangled with Spain's top celeb? Kinda heavy for me.
Ah, maybe it wasn't real romantic interest. She'd shown iron will to get me in her video someday, so that could be the angle.
"Hoo... hoo..."
Just focused on my work.
Whatever she did, she'd be slammed post-comeback, and preseason would keep me away from here awhile.
Days slipped by.
"Theo..."
Today, Niela showed up more subdued than usual.
"Today's the last time I see you. Can't come here anymore."
"Good."
"So bummed... Huh?"
"Back to action, right?"
"Ah... yeah. True."
"So, good."
She stared, then—for once—asked seriously.
"Dinner tonight? You've shot me down every time."
I flicked my eyes aside.
The duo, who'd eyed me like an alien all week, nodded furiously: Take it!
Back to her.
Quietly: "Best of luck."
Rejection.
She smirked like she knew it, then leaned in—
Light peck on the cheek, and out she went.
I touched my cheek absently, then gripped the gear again.
I knew it was Spanish greeting kisses (dos besos), but she'd never done it before.
Had I been too aloof? Little pang of regret.
Eh... If it's meant to be, we'll cross paths.
"Hoo. Hoo."
Back to grinding, when Miguel and Joni approached, faces stiff.
"Theo. We talked seriously... and got an unbelievable conclusion."
Hm?
"No way you're ignoring her pursuit. Doesn't add up."
"Yeah. Impossible."
"Come to think, no interest in Elena, Vicki either."
"Never heard you mention girls since we met."
"Our verdict..."
"So... you're... uh..."
One eyed me suspiciously; the other glanced south.
...These idiots?
"N-no, right?"
"Y-yeah. Gotta be."
"D-don't mind us, Theo."
"L-let's train hard, haha..."
I shook my head at the fools.
Then locked eyes with Ruben Soriano.
"No way... you too?"
He grinned, shook his head.
"I know why you're not into Niela."
"Huh?"
"Day before last? Saw you strolling the plaza. You heading home with your girlfriend. Almost said hi."
"......!"
"Keeping it secret? My lips sealed. No clue why, though."
I was too flustered to respond—just awkward smile.
Couldn't help it.
Not 'cause caught with a girl, but...
"Real Spaniard, huh? Gorgeous from afar. Makes sense Niela doesn't cut it. Impressive, Theo. Respect. Haha!"
"......"
Two days ago, the one I brought home wasn't Yuko—it was Elena.