Chapter 42
Translator 8uhl
Chapter 42
Chapter Title The Eldest Son Desperately Wants Soccer
South Korea U17 National Team Crushes Frankfurt and Leverkusen in KoreaGermany Exchange Match.
Koreas Future, Yoon Taeyang 15, Newcastle UTDWho Is He?
Newcastle Official Yoon is the teams treasure. We hope he gains valuable experience with the national team.
It had been a while since Id checked the news.
There were way more stories about me than Id expected.
Curious, I Googled my name after seeing the articles.
Oh.
There were more pages about me than Id thought.
In soccer communities, I was a pretty hot topic.
The popular posts proved it.
Whats this? This sites a bit unexpected.
There were some surprising sites too.
Sun is too handsome, right?
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A kid like this should be an idol Why soccer
Totally my type
Taeyang, just keep growing like this?
But Taeyangs team name is pretty too lol Newcastle
Our Taeyang is Newcastles prince
What countrys team?
IDK lol
My name was popping up on a womenonly site, the kind popular with girls.
If it was just my name, thatd be one thing.
Photo Taeyang sprinting
Photo Walking with teammates
Photo Faceonly shot
There were tons of my photos posted. And theyd even been edited with Photoshop.
Heh...
Anyone would think I was an idol.
Why was I being talked about on a site like this?
I looked at my face in the mirror.
Seeing myself like this, I realized just how different I looked from my previous life.
Sure, the base features were the same, but back then, a depressed, rough life had etched permanent frown lines into my face. Growing up in an orphanage meant constant fights, scars from punchesit wasnt just one or two.
On top of that, I hadnt eaten or slept well, so my skin was dull and dark, my cheeks hollow, my whole frame gaunt.
Compared to that, now...
Damn, Im handsome.
It hit me how much your environment doesnt just shape your physiqueit transforms your looks entirely.
Well, being handsome isnt a bad thing.
People say soccer players just need to be good at the game, but thats not entirely true.
Soccers world is looksobsessed too.
Of course, skill gets you paid, but if youre skilled and goodlooking, you rake in even more.
Your market value skyrocketshigher transfer fees, bigger salaries, more endorsement deals and side income.
Thinking about it, since Im already like this, I should take care of myself.
But thats for later.
Now, Munich, huh.
After the Eintracht match, we faced Leverkusen and Dortmund.
The results werent great.
A 11 draw with Leverkusen, then a 43 loss to Dortmund.
I scored and played well in both, but soccers an elevenman game.
No matter how much I flew, I couldnt win every match alone.
The problem was our defense.
Sure, we had Bae Sanghyun, Koreas standout defensive prospect, but one guy cant stop every attack.
The opponents relentlessly targeted our weaknesses and broke through. No way to stop them.
The national team kids had ridden high after barely beating Eintracht, but after these two games, they felt the gap and the mood sank.
Cant be helped.
Wed put in the effort, but Koreas youth system still lagged far behind Europes.
Chin up, everyone. Beating pro teams as a national side isnt easy.
Lee Sungho stepped up to console the kids boarding the bus with gloomy faces.
It was unexpected.
The guy who always acted like a lone monk was actually motivating the team.
Who said that?
Taeyang.
Yeah?
The kids briefly brightened faces fell again.
Then well get wrecked by Munich.
Munich is tough...
I wanted to yell, Kids, dont wuss out! Why are you scared?! But I couldnt.
It was Bayern Munich.
Bundesligas dinosauraside from that one slip after 2012, theyd won every title.
People ripped them for just poaching other Bundesliga talents to build their squad, but it wasnt that simple.
Countless kids joined Munich and washed out without making the team.
Just their youth products aloneThomas Müller, Philipp Lahmworldclass legends who defined eras.
Same now.
Their monster was probably in the youth team by this point.
Or had he moved up to the first team already?
Munich has... a monster.
Lee Sungho muttered in a heavy voice from the seat next to me.
Youve faced him, huh?
Hes a monster. I never want to go up against that thing again.
Even Sungho, who never backed down from anyone, sounded shaken.
Yeah, seeing that monster would do that.
Kekeke... A monster?
Then Choi Jiwoos voice came from the seat in front.
Monster... kekeke... monster... ke...
Quit laughing, you punk. Hearing it so much youll get attached.
Bae Sanghyun grumbled from next to him, but Jiwoos laughter only grew.
Kekekeke... kekeke... Weve got... a monster too. Ke...
What? Me?
Nah, youre just average. The monster is...
Jiwoo shot up and turned to me, thumping his chest.
Inside me... kekeke... inside me...! Theres one monster inside meee!
Sanghyun jumped up, grabbed Jiwoos neck, and dragged him down.
Sigh, that lunatic.
His chuunibyou was getting worse.
The crazy part? He didnt even watch anime.
If he did... Ugh, dont even think about it.
You fuck, laugh one more time and Ill really write on your forehead?
Keke... But my will remains unbroken!
...Sigh.
After a long bus ride, we finally reached Munich.
We unpacked at the dorms, rested for a day, and on the next, headed to Bayern Munichs training ground... no, the Allianz Arena.
Eintracht, Leverkusen, Dortmundtheyd all played us at their youth facilities.
This was Bundesligas big brother for you.
Even on a nonmatch day, letting us play at the stadium.
Different scale.
Playing here...
Munich really is on another level.
The kids gawked, mouths agape, taking in the stadium.
Save the sightseeing for after the game. Get to the locker room and prep.
Coach Lee Junghoo said sternly.
He couldnt tear his eyes away either.
Fair enough.
It was Bayern Munichs stadiumone of the worlds top clubs.
Id been overwhelmed my first time here too.
No crowd today, but back then, it was packed.
That gaze from tens of thousandsindescribable.
Id told a teammate I felt like Id piss myself, right?
Ah, Id faced Bayern once.
Champions League round of 16, I think?
Real Betis was a Primera División regular in the UCL, but reaching the knockouts wasnt easy.
We clawed our way in, only to draw Munich.
Thats where I met the monster Sungho mentioned.
The monster.
Id face him soon enough.
Munichs monster.
Alright, this is the final match of the KoreaGermany exchange. Lets end it strong. Got it?
As Coach Lee spoke, Sungho nudged me slyly.
What?
Coachs words dont make sense.
Huh? What?
Why collect Yoo Jongaemi? And calling our moms that... Isnt that harsh?
Yoo Jongaemi...
Sungho, its not Yoo Jongaemi. Its yujongui miend on a high note, make the finale beautiful.
Ah...! Thats what it meant?
Talk about shock and awe.
Hey, what are you doing over there! Im trying to lay down the law here and youre off chatting?
Sorry, sir!
Sorry!
Ugh.
...Never thought a match wouldnt shake me, but Sunghos words would.
I heard you talking earlier. Yeah, Munichs most dangerous guys that monster everyones talking about. Word is, hes heading to the first team after this game.
God, I hoped hed gone up already, but notoday was his last youth match.
Gotta face the monster.
Better than Dios, maybe.
Dios would be the worlds best, a soccer god.
But if I had to pick who to avoidfrom past life or this oneits not Dios.
Its Munichs monster.
Especially this life.
Why?
Dios and I wouldnt clash unless I let him in.
But the monster? Hes someone I have to beat.
Yeah, hes a defender.
Whys a defender called a monster?
Because he is one.
Dios acknowledged it. Or will.
Hell shiver in an interview Hes a monster.
Thats the defender were up against.
Alright, lets go.
We suited up and headed to the pitch.
Man, how long since I played in a stadium like this?
Youth teams dont get these chances. First time this life?
Ugh... I feel kinda nervous.
Gong Sehwan muttered beside me.
Empty stadium, but the place itself was intimidating.
No need to be. Just enjoy it, Sehwan.
Sungho patted his shoulder.
Keke... A stage... for me! Kekeke...!!
Jiwoo was fullon crazy, while Ryu Junseo and Kim Hyojun were a mix of tense and excited.
Mood wasnt bad.
Coach Lee had fired them up pretty well.
But.
The moment we hit the tunnel stairs and saw the Bayern Munich squad.
Nosaw one player.
Every kids face froze.
One guy in front of us.
Munichs monster.
Bayerns guardian.
The White Tiger.
Sebastian Weißtiger.
Thats why.
He had snowwhite skin matching his White Tiger nickname, platinum blond hair, and a face like glacial ice.
That alone wouldnt have frozen our teammates.
The finishing touch his physique.
Towering at 206 cm, with a build to match.
Thats why they called him a monster.
What... the hell...
Ryu Junseo craned his neck, staring in disbelief.
Even Jiwoo, with his monster inside me, stood there gawking, speechless.
Id faced him once in my past life, but even I felt my body stiffen instinctively.
How the hell do I break through that and score?
My head was already starting to hurt.