Bruna's Coming of Age. (1)
Even though Lucia had retired, our daily life hadn't changed. After all, we had gotten used to life without her since the preseason.
And the sad thing is usually forgotten as happy.
“Bruna! Happy birthday!”
“Then now, is Bruna the only one who's an adult among us?”
Lucia wasn't dead or anything; she was still coaching kids at the academy until she got her coaching license, so honestly, it wasn't that sad, as we could see her in about 30 minutes.
Lucia's retirement ceremony was just a small sadness that would be forgotten like Bruna's coming of age. Honestly, it was a bit teary at the time, but now I didn't care.
“So, celebrating Bruna's birthday!”
We can clink glasses as much as celebrating Bruna's birthday.
Of course, it wasn't alcohol. This place is the dormitory.
The room where we were having Bruna's birthday party in the dorm was rented after asking the dorm mother, and since we know people everywhere in Barcelona, we couldn't drink alcohol boldly in a restaurant.
In fact, after today's training, I had already had a first round with some close teammates. The other teammates had invited Bruna to go out with adults after sending us minors, but Bruna refused and came back to the dorm with us.
Some teammates were still teasing Bruna calling her a kid, but Bruna refused by saying she has to get up early tomorrow morning to kick the ball. As expected, she's crazy about soccer.
“When it's like this, we need alcohol. Hey, Ha-neul. Don't you have any hidden alcohol?”
...Besides, there were bad memories with alcohol.
“...I don't have any of that.”
“You're exaggerating. Even back then... .”
“Shut up, Tina.”
Valentina, who was trying to bring up the bad history of drinking, crying, vomiting, etc., I cursed at her, and Valentina laughed and drank the drink in her cup.
Looking at that cool, laughing expression, it wasn't because she wanted to drink, but because she wanted to tease me.
Still, it was a party-like atmosphere, with carbonated drinks that I strictly controlled during the season here, which was different from our usual meals.
“Well, we can drink alcohol after the season ends.”
Bruna said to Valentina who brought up alcohol.
“Anyway, Bruna, you're weird? Don't South American players usually like parties?”
To Bruna's words, Camila gave an innocent expression and asked Bruna.
Well, Camila's words weren't wrong. There was no South American player I met who didn't like parties.
“Isn't that true for Europeans too? Kami, are you being racist right now?”
“Ah, no! What are you saying!”
“Haha. I find soccer more fun than parties.”
“They say once you taste it, you can't go back. Be careful, Bruna. If you mess up with a guy, you're done for.”
Then, Camila and Bruna talking, Valentina chimed in. And I realized this was the moment for retaliation. Usually, we don't talk about guys around me, but apparently, Valentina blurted it out because of the atmosphere.
“Taste? What taste? What's the connection with messing up with a guy?”
“Pfft!”
With an innocent expression as if not knowing, Valentina spat out the drink she was about to drink. Valentina, who always had an ice-cold expression, now looked flustered.
How dare you touch my dark history? Try it yourself.
I felt a sense of satisfaction inwardly while maintaining an innocent expression and staring at Valentina. Then, Camila's excuse came out.
“Ha-neul! I, it's not like that... .”
But Camila's excuse was disappointing.
Camila responding to my words and giving an excuse meant she knew the intent behind Valentina's words. Camila, who seemed forever a kid, had grown up and knew everything... It felt like seeing my pure niece who used to smoke secretly in the underground parking lot after puberty.
...From now on, I might have to be a bit more careful not to touch Camila's belly fat. Honestly, it's addictive belly fat, so hard to resist touching.
“...What? Why is the atmosphere like this?”
And at that moment, Yuri, who had gone to the cafeteria for food after losing in rock-paper-scissors, came back.
Of course, I couldn't miss this opportunity. Teasing Yuri is one of my few fun hobbies.
“No, Tina said to be careful about the taste of men, so I was curious what that means.”
Fortunately, Yuri didn't drop the bowl in her hand. Just looked at Valentina with a shocked expression. That look was enough to satisfy my amusement, as if she was looking at trash.
“Hey! When did I say that! I said be careful about the party taste!”
“Did I?”
“Ugh, I can't hit this little brat.”
“Why suddenly Kami?”
“Not Kami, you! You!”
“I thought you were Kami because you're small. But I'm second in height here? Yuri and Bruna are also smaller than me.”
“Anyway, guys are just tall.”
“It's not just being tall? Soccer too...”
“Pfft...”
“...You're good at it?”
This time, Yuri, who was about to sit and drink the drink, spat it out.
...No, why this time? Was there any reason in my words for such a reaction?
I thought back to what I said. And realized that Yuri's reaction was triggered by 'It's not just being tall?' and immediately understood why she spat.
...Did an erotic demon possess her mind?
Yuri, who was pure, became an erotic little sister with an erotic demon in her head... This was as shocking as Camila's excuse earlier.
They've grown up, they've grown up.
Of course, young girls at their peak. So in the previous life, boys naturally being interested in the opposite sex was normal. But as someone who has seen them since their little sister days, it was a bit shocking.
“But, why are you all reacting strangely since earlier? Let me know too. Is it some meme lately? Do I really need to do SNS?”
And more shocking than that was the fact that Bruna didn't catch on to the jokes about the opposite sex at all. Honestly, Bruna was the most naive-looking here, so this was really shocking.
You should stop playing soccer.
...While hiding that inner thought, I answered Bruna's words.
“Ah, so that's what it was? I thought... .”
Of course, pretending to be innocent.
I had seen somewhere that if friends talk about sex, the probability of actually having sex increases. I don't know where or if it's true, but I thought it had some truth.
Because there's no reason to talk about sex with someone you don't like.
So, I decided not to talk about such things with them at all, and pretending to be innocent was not just image management but an unavoidable choice. I didn't want to have such a relationship with them.
After all, it doesn't make sense for teammates to have such a relationship.
Since all are youth academy graduates, as long as there's no big problem in the future, we'll definitely play for the same team, and if we date and break up, it would be awkward, and continuing training and playing matches in that state would be uncomfortable.
Moreover, one-night stands don't make sense, and if I think about such things and get aroused during training, matches, or in the locker room, it's a disaster. My body is already almost adult (I have a big one, as I boast), so I couldn't hide it.
Ultimately, I didn't want to date anyone. I didn't have time to waste on dating or sex until winning the World Cup.
I know myself. I've been holding up well so far, but if I fall into that path again, I wouldn't control myself.
...Moreover, Bruna becoming an adult now, but dating someone I've known since childhood felt like a crime.
“Hmm, hmm. I'll tell you later, Bruna. Anyway, happy birthday again. This is my gift.”
Valentina took out the gift she had prepared while organizing the situation.
“Eh?! This!”
“Yeah. It's a Lima signed jersey. I got it when I was young.”
Valentina took out a worn Brazil national team jersey worn by the Brazilian football legend Lima. I had heard she got it from a national team match when she was young, but giving it as a birthday gift, pampering it.
“Wow... Tina, that's cool?”
“Well, I don't like Lima that much.”
“Yeah, Bruna likes Lima. Our room has Lima posters everywhere.”
“Thank you, Tina.”
“No, it's coming of age, so I have to do at least this.”
Seeing the friends exchanging nice words, I felt a chill on my back. My prepared gift was quite materialistic, after all.
“This is my gift.”
“Thank you! Yuri! But, I don't use perfume?”
“I don't use it either, my dad gives perfume as a coming of age gift, so.”
“Really? Korean culture? Anyway, I'll use it well.”
“Bruna! This is mine!”
“It's a watch? Thank you. I'll wear it well.”
Then, Yuri's prepared perfume and Camila's prepared wristwatch were placed in front of Bruna.
...Did I prepare only this?
I glanced at my gift in the envelope.
What I prepared was soccer cleats. Soccer cleats with my signature ceremony drawn on them.
Since it's not yet on the market, I borrowed one from Georgia, so the rarity was as high as Lima's jersey, but since Bruna hasn't signed a cleat contract yet and wanted to enjoy the pre-market promotion effect a bit, it was a bit guilty conscience.
“This is my gift.”
“What? Eh? Soccer cleats? Thank you! Ha-neul! But what is this? Ah! That's it. The soccer cleat you said you made.”
But unlike my feelings, Bruna laughed brightly when she received Lima's jersey. As expected, Bruna who loves soccer.
“Yeah, that's right. That hasn't come out in the world yet. I got it hard by asking Georgia. It has my signature, so it might sell for a pretty high price?”
Still, after a few years, the cleat with my signature would probably be more expensive than perfume or watch, so my heart eased a bit.
“Hey, why sell this? I have to wear it around.”
But seeing Bruna happy, I wondered if I was deceiving a kid who only knows soccer, and it came back to guilt.
“Yeah, this feels good. I should try it on once during tomorrow's training.”
Fortunately, Bruna tried on the cleats, jumped, rolled her feet, and had a satisfied expression, as if it fit her feet and felt good.
“It's okay? There are only two in the world so far. Yours and mine.”
“Thank you, Ha-neul.”
“Ha-neul!”
When Bruna gave thanks, Camila called me.
“Yeah?”
“I want to ask for the same at my birthday too.”
It seemed she was envious of my cleats which had a pretty good design.
“Yeah, whatever.”
“Ha-neul, me too.”
“...Me too.”
Then Yuri and Valentina also requested cleats. Seeing that they are popular with the kids, it seems the cleat business will be quite successful. Later, if we all wear my shoes together, the promotion effect will be pretty good.
Moreover, since they wanted it themselves, I don't need to worry about what gifts to give at other birthdays, so it's a win-win.
“Okay, okay. I'll give each of you one on your birthday.”
When I promised that, the kids' expressions brightened. They seemed worried because I said I got it hard.
Anyway, cute kids.
After giving gifts to Bruna, we drank the prepared food and drinks and talked about various things. Mostly soccer stories, and since we hang out every day, there weren't many special stories.
“So, on Ha-neul's birthday, since we're all adults then, let's each have a drink. Ha-neul, that's fine, right?”
“Well, for a day.”
“No, don't make her drink alcohol.”
“I'm not a lightweight! You, try it once back then!”
“Can you handle it? I've drunk with my mom.”
“I've drunk with my grandma too!”
So, the end of the birthday party was when the one among us with the latest birthday becomes adult, and we promised to have a drink each.