The Stunning Volley

The next morning, greeting Valentina first, she showed a slight surprise as she accepted my greeting.

“Hi,”

“Uh, uh. Hi.”

Actually, this reaction from Valentina wasn't strange at all. After our first kiss with Valentina, our relationship had become a bit awkward, and it was always Valentina who ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠greeted me.

But yesterday, after the incident with Camila, my conclusion was that I didn't want to give up anything. This daily life, the friends who like me, and even this emotion that might be love.

Someone might call this choice of mine garbage for managing relationships, but this was who I was.

Of course, to do that, I would need to carefully coordinate so as not to upset the other girls' hearts, so I would have to think of a method, but anyway, I didn't want to give up anything.

On top of that, confirming Yu-ri's feelings? The friends I liked right now were Valentina, Camila, and Yu-ri.

So, it didn't make sense to maintain awkwardness with Valentina just because of one kiss.

“What's wrong? Why are you surprised?”

“No, nothing.”

Smiling playfully as usual, I spoke to Valentina, and she answered with a smile. And next to her, I greeted Camila who was rolling her eyes.

“Camilla, good morning.”

“Eh? Uh…”

When our eyes met, Camila's face turned slightly red. Actually, I was a bit embarrassed too. It wasn't like I did anything direct, but I just rubbed her thigh a bit and ended up in that situation. And Camila was in the same boat, so she was busy rolling her eyes with her face red.

Looking at such Camila, I thought that this was the innocent Camila I knew. And on the other hand, I felt a bit smug. Yesterday she was so proactive.

“Camilla, you were so proactive yesterday, but today you're so shy?”

“Uhn? S-sorry…”

Approaching Camila and whispering in her ear, Camila jumped in surprise and apologized. As expected, she's cute.

“Still, do you know that yesterday's incident is a secret?”

“U-uh.”

Until the plan to get everything is complete, I had to keep Camila's mouth shut.

‘Now that the secret is out, the problem is Yu-ri? Well, Yu-ri has more time alone…'

I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wanted to focus more on the romance business, but since there was a match in the afternoon, I decided to focus on the match first.

Today's opponent was Mallorca, who were fighting for the lower half of the league. It wasn't a difficult opponent, but since there was a Champions League round of 16 home match against Napoli in 3 days after the match ended, it was important to decide the winner in the first half and take rest.

And to do that, I had to focus only on football by erasing my usual different thoughts, so I was able to create a state where I could focus on the match by talking with my friends as usual and erasing unnecessary thoughts from my head.

Was it too easy for me, a pro among pros, to activate the 'football' mode? …The thing I worried about during the match was something that could ruin my life, so it was unavoidable, but now that I had dumped my worries, I started preparing for the match as usual by erasing all unnecessary thoughts that were not necessary for the match.

While thinking about how to handle today's match in my head and doing image training, the time for the match to start was approaching.

But, perhaps because the stimulus from yesterday was too strong for the innocent Camila, when it was time to enter the stadium, I felt a slight chill.

In today's match, the attacking trio taking the three-back was Yu-ri, Bruna, and Lautaro. Since it was not the starting three, no matter what, it was important for Camila and me, who had to lead the attack against Mallorca, to be mentally sharp, but since Camila wasn't in a good state, I approached Camila right before the match started.

“Camilla, you can't not be mentally sharp even on the field after what happened yesterday, right?”

“Ah, no…”

A response that seemed to lack confidence.

“Camilla.”

“Eh?”

“I've never said it before, but my ideal type is a woman who plays football better than me.”

By saying words that could firmly snap Camila out of her daze, Camila's eyes regained their spark.

“…You're not trying to dodge it subtly, are you?”

“Um?”

“No more talking about other things later.”

“Of course ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠not.”

Honestly, yesterday I was led by Camila too much, but by leading her like this, I felt a slight recovery of my pride?

After patting Camila's shoulder to restore her energy, I entered the stadium.

The clear March weather in Spain was welcoming us. Moreover, the clear weather felt even more pleasant because it was like my mind that had erased all worries. If I had been playing in England, I would have had rain throughout my worries, making my heart gloomy.

As expected, I liked Spain.

And to not leave Spain, I had to become the best player. No matter how my romantic relationships were, a best player who could crush everything with skill. A single **Ballon d'Or** wasn't enough yet.

‘Good. Let's completely crush this match too.’

Sorry to the fans of Mallorca, but I had been in the best condition for the past few weeks, so I had no intention of holding back at all.

Barcelona steals the ball from defense! Ah! Attempts a counterattack! Camila connects long to Yu-ri! Yu-ri starts running from the center line!

Defenders follow. Two of them mark Yu-ri and push her to the corner.

Since the match just started, Mallorca's defenders caught up to Yu-ri and succeeded in pushing her to the corner. Anyone who saw the current state would have anticipated that the counter would turn into a set piece.

Even the players on the ground.

‘Where's Ha-neul?’

Yu-ri, who had been familiar with being pushed to the corner since childhood, instinctively looked for Ha-neul. Because in such situations, sending the ball to Ha-neul would allow safe attack possession.

And it took Yu-ri no time at all to check Ha-neul's position.

Actually, even if it wasn't the ground, if Ha-neul was nearby, Yu-ri could find him in 1 second anytime, but on the ground, that time was shortened.

Ha-neul was always running to the position he wished was there.

When Yu-ri turned her head thinking someone was there, she saw Ha-neul running from outside the penalty box. While Yu-ri was dragging the ball with both feet to waste time, at the moment their eyes met, she passed strongly to Ha-neul as always.

It was a strength that couldn't be received unless it was Ha-neul level trapping.

But Yu-ri believed without hesitation that Ha-neul would receive her pass. And Ha-neul, who received the ball, dug into the inside of the penalty box to easily return the pass.

And waited for the perfect pass right under his foot.

But at that moment.

“Ah, ah?!”

The ball hit Ha-neul's back heel.

‘Did I give too strong a pass?’

At the moment of panic thinking if the pass was too strong, the ball hit Ha-neul's back heel drew a perfect rainbow arc in front of Ha-neul's body. No, it was about to fall. But Ha-neul's right foot was faster.

A beautiful goal that makes the viewers doubt their eyes. The fans who were sitting in front of the TV watching Ryu Ha-neul's play stood up unconsciously faster than usual at the prodigious play of Ha-neul.

And Yu-ri, who unintentionally assisted, ran to Ha-neul while exclaiming in admiration at the situation.

Towards such Yu-ri, Ha-neul opened both hands wide, and it was seen that the appropriately sweaty uniform was sticking to Ha-neul's body. It was the usual sight, but perhaps due to the influence of the beautiful goal, it felt more stimulating than usual.

‘…Recently it seems like something more sexy… Is it just my imagination?’

While looking at such Ha-neul, Yu-ri felt a strange stimulation that made her feel hot somewhere, but since it was still during the match, she erased unnecessary thoughts from her head and ran to Ha-neul.