In Korea
Barcelona, riding an undefeated streak with a record of 23 wins and 4 draws, faces Real Sociedad at home. They've been on an undefeated streak in the league for 39 consecutive games since last season. Will they extend that record today? Let's begin the match. First, Barcelona's lineup. Goalkeeper: Maximilena……
[Ryu Ha-neul has been starting for two consecutive games, so he seems to be missing from the starting lineup today?]
[That's right. Ryu Ha-neul is the player garnering the most attention in football right now, but because he's male, there might be physical issues. It seems Angela is managing Ryu Ha-neul.]
[Then, Real Sociedad's lineup……]
……
……
The match has ended! Leading with Kang Yu-ri's multi-goal, Barcelona wins 3:1! Barcelona extends their undefeated streak to 40 games!
Now it's the A match period, right? I wonder if Barcelona will continue this record after the A match period.
“Yu-ri, congratulations!”
“Eh?”
On the way to the flight to Korea. When I greeted her with congratulations, Yu-ri looked at me with a surprised expression. She seemed not to have expected to receive congratulations suddenly.
“This time, you scored two goals. That's the 7th goal in the league, right?”
“Yeah, that's right.”
“And you scored 3 goals in the Champions League too. So that's 10 goals. With double digits, of course you should congratulate me.”
“…But I scored 5 goals in the cup too.”
“Aw, the Club World Cup or Copa del Rey are a bit lower tier. Excluding the part where you played against lower league teams.”
“…Is that so?”
Yu-ri smiled awkwardly at my fact and scratched her head. Maybe because she had firmly decided something? Seeing this cute side of hers, I wanted to rub her cheeks, but since it wasn't the time yet, I lowered the hand I was about to raise.
“Eh? Why? What did you ask?”
“No, it's nothing like that.”
Yu-ri looked at me strangely, but I shook my head at her words. Just as a slightly awkward silence was about to flow,
“Ha-neul! Yu-ri!”
A voice that broke the awkward silence came.
“You’re here?”
The owner of that voice was Kim Chae-ri, another Korean Primera League player who flew to Barcelona to return to Korea with us for the A match.
“You came quickly?”
“I took a red-eye flight, it's tough. How much time left on the flight?”
“About 30 minutes? We have to go to check-in soon.”
“Ugh, luckily the time matches.”
“Unnie, so let's go separately.”
“Ya! You know there's no international airport there!”
Thanks to spending a year together, Yu-ri and Kim Chae-ri are quite close, and seeing them joking without reservation, it felt like I was being robbed of a friend.
…But Yu-ri doesn't like me that much yet, am I just overthinking?
But since I had firmly decided my feelings, sometimes these thoughts popped up, so I just accepted my own feelings and joined their conversation.
“Senior, but is there no contact from other places? It's been two years, you've played a lot, right?”
“That's right. I wish there was some contact too. Ha-neul, you don't get along with Angela coach. Can you ask the coach for me?”
“Aw, can our midfielders handle it?”
“…That's a bit hard.”
“But won't there be contact soon? The team's situation doesn't look easy lately.”
“Ha… I'm worried about that too. It seems like we'll be relegated soon….”
Kim Chae-ri seemed to have a lot of worries because of the team's situation. Well, I haven't been to a relegated team, so I don't know, but her skin seems a bit rough, so her stress must be quite high lately.
Well, with Kim Chae-ri's level of skill, she could join a good team.
“If not, can you ask Coach Diana too? Unni Seo-hee also went to Manchester United thanks to the coach.”
“…Really, should I try asking once? Ha-neul, what do you think? If I go to the EPL, I think I can adapt too?”
“Well… There are many teams in the EPL that recruit La Liga midfielders…. Why hire Korean players while leaving Spanish ones?”
“Will I be stuck in Deportivo for life?”
“It’ll be fine. Senior also plays quite a bit.”
“Quite a bit? Yeah, if Ha-neul is quite a bit, then quite a bit.”
While talking with Kim Chae-ri, I felt Yu-ri's gaze. Seeing Yu-ri's slightly jealous expression, I thought it wasn't just me feeling that emotion.
But since there was a possibility I was mistaken, I couldn't be 100% sure yet.
When I get to Korea, I have to confirm for sure.
With that slightly excited feeling, I boarded the plane, and as always, Yu-ri, wearing the blindfold I gave her, started preparing to sleep.
“Yu-ri.”
“Eh?”
“When we get to Korea, will you come visit our house after a long time?”
“Your house? Uh… Well, since there's time until camp, okay. We arrive at night? Then I can sleep and go visit.”
“Won’t you be tired?”
“Aw, that’s fine.”
“Yeah, then I have to greet the uncle too. Ah, what about Bada these days?”
“What do you mean, playing football. It says they’ll come to Spain this summer…. Dad might come too.”
“Really? Bada is now in 6th grade? I also came to Barcelona at that time. So, where did you come to Barcelona?”
“I wanted to come to Barcelona. But our team isn’t a team that’s easy to beat, right?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
With that, I made a promise with Yu-ri, so I took out the blindfold and started preparing to sleep a bit. Talking with Yu-ri was fun, but managing condition was important too.
As we repeated sleeping, watching movies, and eating on the plane, we finally arrived in Korea, and since it was quite late, luckily there were few reporters, so after a few simple interviews, we left the airport.
Upon leaving the airport, Yu-ri’s mother and my mother were waiting for us, and after greeting, we each got into the cars.
“Ha-neul, no discomfort during the flight?”
“Yes. Arrived safely. Ah, mom.”
“Eh?”
“Tomorrow Yu-ri is coming to visit, right?”
“Tomorrow? Well, it doesn’t matter. I’ll tell dad too.”
“Yes.”
“Yeah, you must be tired, so rest your eyes on the way.”
“Okay, I’ll sleep a little.”
Then, arriving at the house full of sleep.
“Ha-neul!”
“Dad, I hope nothing happened while I was away?”
Dad, who didn’t sleep until late waiting for me, was standing at the apartment entrance door waiting for me.
“Nothing? Nothing happened. Ah, dad is working these days. Spanish language instructor at the academy.”
“Eh? Dad?”
“Yeah. Even if I say rest comfortably, my dad said he has to do something.”
Hmm… If dad got a job, he might stay in Korea. Probably, since leaving the dormitory, living with family is better than living alone, but since dad wants to spend time with me, it's a bit sorry, but I thought it was good that dad got a job.
Moreover, mom will stay in Korea because of coaching, and if dad comes to Spain with Bada and me, it might be lonely.
“Bada? Is she at home?”
“Bada? Bada is in training camp at school. The new semester just started.”
“Training camp… It’s tough at this time. …Ah, right. Dad, I decided to have Yu-ri come visit tomorrow, is that okay?”
“Yu-ri? Of course it’s fine. And since it’s academy work, it’s not that busy. I get off at 5. Ah, but tomorrow I think I’ll have to eat lunch alone.”
“Eh? Why?”
“Ah, tomorrow I have to start work at 9 because of academy work. Originally it was until 1, but the morning shift teacher said she has a situation and can’t come tomorrow. I want to spend time with Ha-neul too, but sorry. Ha-neul.”
“No, it’s fine. It’s work. Then, should I call Yu-ri around evening tomorrow?”
“Yeah, to prepare dinner after dad gets off work, I can go visit around 7.”
“Understood.”
Hmm, I wanted to just meet and make a new promise, but if it’s like this…
Back home, I immediately took out my phone and sent a DM to Yu-ri. A DM saying to come to our house around 10 am tomorrow.
- Yu-ri : 10 am? Isn’t that too early?
- Me : Ah, dad said he’ll be working tomorrow. I wanted to eat breakfast together. Don’t say no.
- Yu-ri : No, I didn’t mean no. Then I’ll go then.
While talking with Yu-ri, entering the room, I thought it smelled a bit stuffy because it’s a room I haven’t used for a long time. Not severe, but the air felt different?
“Ha-neul, what are you looking for?”
“Ah, I was looking for something like Febreze.”
“Yeah? Dad is cleaning too…. No strange smell? Wait, here.”
“Ah, thank you.”
“Clearly our Ha-neul has grown up too. Preparing for Yu-ri’s visit already?”
“…It’s not like that.”
It really wasn’t. Just worried that the smell might be strange. Spraying Febreze when coming home is natural, and I was doing that natural thing, not suddenly spraying because Yu-ri was coming.
Tick, tick.
I sprayed Febreze for dad, but it didn’t seem like a good smell.
Should I spray some perfume?
Finally, after thinking, I sprayed the perfume I use in the room, and thought it was ready because it smelled good now.
No, what preparation. It’s just that the smell didn’t suit me….
Well, it wasn’t intentional, but I was satisfied that when Yu-ri comes and smells the room, it won’t be unpleasant.