Chapter 65
Translator 8uhl
Chapter 65
Chapter Title Anna Breezes Wish
Anna Breeze was an incredibly diligent agent who ran one of the worlds top agencies.
She woke up at five in the morning, worked out, showered, grabbed a simple salad for breakfast, and arrived at the office earlier than anyone else, leaving later than everyone.
It wouldnt be an exaggeration to call her a workaholic incarnate.
People called her a machine of a woman who only knew work, but that wasnt true at all.
She focused intensely when it was time to work, accomplishing a ton, and made sure to take at least two weekdays off per week to enjoy her leisure time.
She just preferred staying home as a homebody over going out.
Even at home, she only watched soccer.
She occasionally read books, but she invested nearly all her time in watching soccer matches.
Still a workaholic?
No.
She truly loved soccer.
She had graduated from a prestigious university and could have landed a job at a great company, but she chose this path because of her love for soccer.
Up until high school, she had played on the girls soccer team, always attended her favorite teams matches in person at the stadium even before becoming an agent, and caught the rest via reruns on soccer OTT services.
This woman, who loved soccer so much she made it her careerwhat had caught her eye lately?
Ha Yoon Taeyang.
None other than Yoon Taeyang.
His unbelievably fair skin for a soccer player, his flowing black hair, his refined features, and his tall stature.
Even a prince from the distant East couldnt hold a candle to him.
If it had stopped there, she might not have been interested as a soccer fanatic.
How can he be so good at soccer?
But Yoon Taeyang was insanely talented at it too.
And just like that, he became her idol.
I wish hed sign with me. Im confident I can take good care of him.
She could offer him so much.
Right now, the only Taeyangrelated merch? was his uniform.
It couldnt end there.
Leaving that skill and that looks untouched was a sin.
He needed to appeal to men with his talent and to women with his appearance.
If they commercialized him like idol merch in Asia, the profits would be enormous.
And that would only grow the better he got, the more famous he became.
First, we gotta plaster our Taeyangs face on cushions, pillows, blankets, and stuff.
It definitely wasnt because she wanted to decorate her own bedroom like that right?
Anyway, her desperate wish came true.
She got a message from Taeyangs dad, Jiseong.
Our Taeyang wants to talk with you. Lets set up a meeting.
Reading the message, she trembled with joy and immediately called the office.
Yoon Taeyang is meeting with me. Prepare the best contract possible to sign him. Remember, dont treat him like a youth playertreat him like a future worldclass star and draw up the contract accordingly! Got it!
Dad met with Anna Breeze.
She wanted to meet me, but that was impossible.
Why?
Because preseason training had started.
This was Banc of California Stadium, the home ground and training facility for Los Angeles FC in California, USA.
LA sounded hot, but the heat wasnt too bad, and being dry made it more bearable than Koreas summer.
Truth be told, I wasnt fazed by heat.
Maybe because my name was Taeyang, I even liked the scorching sun.
LAs nice. Maybe spend my retirement here?
Whats with the retirement talk from someone whos just starting out?
Yeah, Ive still got over ten years left.
Whats with that defeated look? You wanna retire already? Tsk tsk.
Uh, well it feels like doing military service for the second time.
Whats that supposed to mean?
Its a thing. How about you, Matty? Like it here? Thinking of retiring and living here?
Matty made a face like hed rather die.
I hate the heat. Id sooner move to Russia.
How does a guy who hates heat play soccer?
Anyway, how are the new guys?
Eh?
I glanced around and spotted the new transfers, Illinyu and Mario.
I checked out the big black guy and the Latin white dude with dreads.
They seemed out of place, not adapted yet, but oozed confidence.
Fair enough.
Illinyu was last seasons Serie A top scorer, and Mario Menendez was a core player at Real Madrid.
Theyve got egos, huh?
Right? Kinda arrogant, strutting around like theyre hot shit. Gets on my nerves.
No, why was this guy like this?
Why are you like this?
Hm just?
Bored? No one playing with you cause of the age gap?
Cant say thats not part of it.
Getting old and ugly like thisno thanks, tsk tsk.
Well if youve got nothing to do, hang with the manager and coaches. Oh, wait, coaches are younger than you too?
Dont bring up age.
Grinding his teeth, he seemed to have hit the age where it bothered him.
Well, time will sort out the cliques.
Of course. But thats not the point.
Then what is?
You need to be the leader.
Me? Why?
Silva shook his head.
Those guys could leave anytime. No loyalty to the club. If were picking the real leader, its you, right?
Ricellas the captain.
Why push this on me?
Honestly, Ricella wont last long either. Hear that creak when he jumps?
That gorilla?
Even the physical monster Illinyu seemed no match for Ricella.
Dont look at Ricella. What if he hears me!
Scared of Ricella?
One punch from him and my skull shatters. Gotta be careful. Anyway, you gotta step up as the center.
What about Isel over there if youre looking for a franchise player?
Right on cue, Isel came running with the ball.
Taeyang! Lob me a cross!
Sure.
That was the goal.
I whipped a high cross toward the goal, and Isel chased after it eagerly.
A stray dog just found an owner.
Isel a dog? Even if his nicknames Isel Hound, you cant treat him like one, Matty.
Isel, chasing hard, volleyed it into the net, grabbed the ball, and ran back to me.
Mustve been impressed by Mattys volley earlier.
Huff huff, one more!
Sure.
Thwack.
IselIsel Houndchased the soaring ball again.
Looks like a dog no matter how you slice it.
What about Omar or Redel? Dida and Arnold too.
Forget them. None of em have leader material.
And me?
Still, you gotta keep discipline.
You know what we call guys like you back home?
What?
Boomer.
What? Conte? Talking about the manager?
Something like that.
Boomer contamination incoming.
I bolted away from Matty.
Mario Menendez had spent his entire 28year career wearing only the pristine white kit at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Leaving Real Madrid wasnt an easy decision for him.
At least not until contract renewal talks.
No matter that he was a La Fábrica graduate and a loyalist, getting treated like dirt compared to bigmoney signingswhen he realized he was getting peanuts despite being a worldclass player selected for Ballon dOr and World Best XIit killed any desire to stay.
Newcastle United reached out.
Rich owners, but squadwise, barely looked the part.
Regular Champions League qualifiers, but never winners.
Not a place someone used to guaranteed trophies would choose.
What moved him was his greatest mentor from youth days, Rosso Artelli, taking Newcastles helm, and an offer of toptier treatment unthinkable at Madrid.
Now, he thought choosing Newcastle was the best decision.
Newcastle boasted worldclass facilities, built around Rosso Artelli and his loyal staff, mirroring Madrids elite training system.
Above all, they provided toplevel service to every player.
Family got a bodyguard and driver players got personal chefs and trainers.
Medical staff monitored condition daily.
Who else cared for players like this?
Fighting over Champions League spots in this setup made no sense.
Maybe thats why he started looking down on the players a bit.
Nomore like, he felt he should be this teams leader.
Leading these green kids to Premier League glory?
Kuh, thrilling just thinking about it.
But mountains to climb.
First, the man called Mr. Toon.
He could retire today and no one would blinkhe was the teams spiritual pillar.
One cough, and all eyes on him.
One touch, and they rallied around.
Yeah, respect the legend.
Plus, whether matching Rossos style or just age, he watched contentedly from behind, never leading.
Captain then?
Grrrrr You lot! Get it together!
The hulking figure bellowed like Hulk, berating the players.
Hmm.
Untouchable, even if soccer god.
Italys starting keeper, one of the worlds best.
Not scared of his fistsrespect for skill.
Third in influence then?
Start with easy preyIsel.
Hey, Isel. Passing is.
Teach a slick trick, get him following.
But Isel didnt even glance, ball in hand, sprinting off.
To the teams youngest.
Just turned 16.
Lateseason savior, nextgen star or whatever.
Just a Newcastle prospect, though?
Yet Isel followed him fanatically.
Isnt that a dog?
Isels act was pure fetchpuppy.
Guess theyre tight.
Switch targets?
Then
Matty! Whatre you doing! Quit playing with the kid and train!
Ricellas booming voice.
Mr. Toon flinched, glancing nervously.
Even he yielded to Ricellas brute force?.
Taeyang, run! Gorillas gonna kill us!
Or not.
Calling his mosthated nickname gorilla without hesitation.
Matty! You damn old fart!
Ricella charged snarling at Matteo Silva everyone scattered with dread.
Ugh, here we go again.
Dont wanna get caught instead and headlocked.
Silva might pit Ricella against us.
Seems the duoSilva mainlypranked, and others paid.
Pranks common, but leaders meant helpless beatdowns.
Need to wedge in there, not victim.
As Menendez drowned in pointless power lust
The kid slipped between them.
No, both of youacting embarrassing at your age.
That old fart started it.
You getting played, Ricella? Act like a captain!
Yeah, kid. Captain cant shake that easy, tsk tsk.
And you, old manact your age? Retireready geezer prankingwhats that?
Its not.
See, Taeyang? Hes the problem. Makes captaining hard.
Hear that? Quit bothering innocents and help Ricella!
The boy called Taeyangmascot rankboldly confronted the teams top powers others avoided, nagging them into submission.
Who the hell is that kid?
Menendez squinted at Taeyang.
Taeyang became observation target number one.