Chapter 1
Translator 8uhl
Chapter 1
Chapter Title Prologue
FIFA World Best 11, twice.
Ballon dOr candidate among the top 30, once.
Asian Player of the Year, five times.
Portuguese Primeira Liga champion, twice.
Spanish Copa del Rey winner, once.
Portugal Player of the Month, five times.
Spain Player of the Month, twice.
World Cup Round of 16, once.
That was the summary of the career Id built as a soccer player, me, Yoon Taeyang.
I was a beloved player at my club, but not someone the league or Europe would remember for long. In Korea, I was one of the top players, but still fell short compared to the true legends.
Satisfied?
Who the hell would be?
No way!
I started late, never properly trained, and too many choices ended in failure.
All those achievements above? They were scraped together after barely grabbing chances at a somewhat late age.
In Korean soccer circles, they called me a late bloomer, a symbol of human triumph. But if I rated myself, I was just a disappointing player whod finally shown a fraction of my talent after a lifetime of fuckups.
Most of my life was regrets, but now that Id retired, looking back, I couldnt help thinking if Id just started a little earlier and prepared properly, wouldnt I have soared to the heavens?
Of course, it could just be hindsight on events long past.
No way to prove it.
But...
Now I could prove it.
No, why am I six years old?
When I woke up and looked in the mirror, it wasnt 38yearold dadbod Yoon Taeyang staring backit was kindergarten Yoon Taeyang.
What the hell? Whats going on?
I clearly remembered going to bed after just one whiskey, then getting a wild urge and chugging bomb shots. Retired, so why not try cigars? I stuck one in my mouth, got pissed it wouldnt light, and flopped into bed.
Since I remembered that much, it wasnt a total blackout.
Anyway, if this wasnt a dream, it was the most critical moment in my life.
Son! You ready to head out?
Mom walked in wearing a yellow dress.
Correction.
Today was the most critical day in my life.
Because today, on a rare family outing, my parents died in a car accident.
Life after becoming an orphan? Predictable.
If I had to describe what came after, it was time spent alive that felt like hell itself.
How did I know this hell started today? That yellow dress.
Mom had treasured it as a luxury item, vowing to wear it only on special days. She wore it for the first time on the day of the accident.
The trauma lingeredthe moment that yellow dress soaked in dark red blood in an instant, crystal clear in my mind.
Cant we skip it?
Seeing her, the words slipped out reflexively.
Moms eyes went wide.
Huh? Why? You were singing about wanting to go to the zoo? Dont wanna see the tigers?
So I was the one who suggested the zoo, causing all this mess?
I didnt remember where we were headed, but now I did.
NNo, I dont!
Come on, no way. You were so excited yesterday you couldnt sleep?
WWell, Im kinda fickle.
...That doesnt sound like something a sixyearold should say.
Not something a 38yearold should say either.
Id tried to sound kidlike!
I racked my brain hard.
Any way out?
Rightfake illness.
Nothing beats it.
I wanted to go yesterday, but not anymore. My head hurts.
Oh no, your head? Why? How bad? Honey!! Come here!
Moms face filled with worry and panic.
She rushed over, placing her hand on my forehead.
Her warm touch.
How long had it been?
Nohow much Id missed it.
Tears welled up unbidden.
Oh dear, does it hurt that much? Honey! Hurry! Taeyang says hes hurting!
Then came the thunder of footsteps.
Just from the bathroom! Where? Whats wrong? Where does it hurt, Taeyang? Youre crying? God, does it hurt bad?
Dad.
My fathers face, now faintly remembered, was the spitting image of mine at 38, before returning to the past.
Dad...
All grown up, tears poured out embarrassingly.
As I started crying, they fussed over me worriedly and prepared to go to the hospital.
Surely we wouldnt crash on the way?
Thankfully, just paranoia.
We got back safe, and I slept peacefully between them for the first time in thirty years.
And just like that, everything was fixed.
My life, derailed by their accident death, was completely changed.
With my parents alive, my paternal and maternal grandfatherswhod died soon after from the shock of losing their childlived on.
And I learned something I never knew.
Mom was pregnant with my sibling at the time.
It wasnt two deathsit was three.
Thats how I got to meet my precious little sister Gaeul, who never existed in my original life.
But...
Seems my parents chemistry was too good.
By the time I was eightyearold Jammin, second son Yeoreum was born.
It didnt stop thereGyeoul came at ten.
Nothree siblings under me!
Me, the eldest of four!!
Well, after a life always alone, a big family was pure bliss.
But having grown up rough, more mature than Dad, more worried about the future than Mom, I was anxious.
Could our family of six live happily without lacking anything?
Could my siblings chase their dreams freely?
Would my barely saved parents sacrifice themselves and suffer until death just for this?
Worries piled up like mountains.
Around now, something hit me that never crossed my mind after saving my parents by going back in time.
Me, Yoon Taeyang, eldest son of the Yoon family.
Ah, I want soccer so bad...
Soccer. I craved it desperately.
Fucking bad.