Camila's Free Kick
The door creaked open, and Ha-neul walked into the locker room. Just like always, with only a towel on his head, his blonde hair, soaked with water, glistened under the fluorescent lights.
Just like always, a magnificent sight... But why was it so hard to meet his eyes?
Camila had already gotten used to Ha-neul's face, but she instinctively turned her head. It was the same Ha-neul as usual, but looking at his face made her lower abdomen tingle.
'Was it because of that day?'
Camila recalled the incident from a few weeks ago at the hotel.
The time when they kissed, rubbing against each other with a thin cloth between them.
Thinking about that incident made her feel something stiffening inside. No matter how many times she thought about it, she couldn't help but feel this way, but Camila instinctively sensed that today was different.
Even when she saw Ha-neul's face normally, her heart would flutter, but she hadn't gotten wet before thinking about that incident.
Camila looked at Ha-neul sitting next to her to confirm this strange feeling.
His flawless white skin, thick eyebrows, eyes that seemed to swallow, prominent nose bridge, lips that were slightly plump and glossy enough to want to kiss immediately, and the jawline that exuded masculinity.
It was a face that could star in a movie, but why was Ha-neul playing football with such an appearance.
After becoming an adult, Ha-neul's face had become even more masculine, and if it hadn't been familiar since childhood, it would have been enough to stimulate a woman's heart to the point of not being able to look straight.
'Why am I like this... Is it because my hair is wet?'
But even this beautiful appearance and wet hair were the same as usual.
"Camila, why?"
Camila wanted to find out why she was like this, but soon Ha-neul asked.
"...Nothing."
"What were you talking about?"
"No, you were waiting. As usual."
"Okay."
After the short conversation, without time to think more, the conversation with Coach Angela and the coaches continued.
Although leading 1-0, the one-goal difference made the tactical meetings more passionate but still nothing different from usual.
Camila had been listening intently at first, but now, hearing the familiar words, she wondered what had changed in Ha-neul.
'...Was it?'
Camila noticed that Ha-neul's atmosphere had changed. In front of others, he didn't say much and kept silent, but in front of friends, he showed his usual mischievous side. But since a certain day, Ha-neul no longer showed mischievous behavior.
It seemed like he was immersed in thoughts rather than joking.
And Ha-neul's atmosphere strangely carried a hint of sensuality. Had he become more lewd?
Thinking this far, the conversation from that hotel room where they kissed came to mind. The conversation where she was confused about her feelings and wanted to check her friends' hearts.
'Could it be... that he talked to the others?'
So, was it because of that? It was possible. Although the others liked Ha-neul, the possibility of liking a person who wanted to date many women at once (Ha-neul said it in a roundabout way, but Camila took it that way. And it was true.) was slim.
But, if she loved Ha-neul like herself, there was also the possibility that she would accept his thoughts.
Just like herself, when Ha-neul said that, she was a bit angry, but she thought it would be okay even with Ha-neul. Excluding the vague memories of childhood, Camila had spent all her life with Ha-neul, and imagining a life without him was unimaginable.
'...But it's likely that she won't accept it. After all, her personality is like that. Um... probably so. Then, maybe she talked to Yuri?'
If Ha-neul had talked about it during that time, instead of the cynical personality that was usual but fiery when something displeased her, it would likely be Yuri. Moreover, something might have happened while spending time in Korea for the A-match.
'Sigh, was I too late? I should have gone to the end that day...'
If I had gone to the end that day... Since I was unprepared too, I left Ha-neul's room pretending to consider him, but if I had known this, I would have gone to the end. Camila thought this.
But Camila thought that no matter who the first one was, in the end, she would be the one to stay by Ha-neul's side. No matter who Ha-neul liked more, if she waited and waited, eventually Ha-neul would stay by her side. Camila was confident in that.
Excluding the vague kindergarten memories, having spent all her life with Ha-neul, even if other friends left Ha-neul, Camila wanted to spend all her life with Ha-neul like now.
"Camila, did you hear?"
Just as she was designing the future plan with Ha-neul, Angela's voice came.
She hadn't heard most of it because she was daydreaming too much, but since she had been the starting player for about two years, the coaches' requests in such situations were obvious, so Camila nodded confidently.
And in fact, even if the coaches' words were different from usual, there was no problem. If it was dangerous, just give the ball to Ha-neul.
Give the ball to Ha-neul if it's dangerous.
This formula was a law equivalent to truth for Camila, who had played hundreds of matches with Ha-neul since elementary school first grade.
"Yes, Coach."
"Yeah. Camila, control the tempo and make the guys rush."
"Got it."
Fortunately, when the coach added words, it didn't seem much different from what she was thinking.
And the second half began.
[Barcelona's kick-off, the second half starts. Arnal passes to Ryu Ha-neul.]
Unlike the first half, the match started with Barcelona's attack, flowing slowly like the usual Barcelona pattern, suffocating the opponent.
[Camila holding the ball.]
[Barcelona's attack usually starts with this Camila player, right? Even until Lucia retired, many fans worried if Camila could fill Lucia's spot, but Camila is filling that spot, right?]
[Yes.]
[Compared to Lucia in her prime who perfectly handled dribbling and shooting, Camila is still lacking, but she can't be compared to Lucia in controlling the game's tempo and building up in the endgame.]
And in the center was Camila.
When Camila got the ball, Ha-neul, who was momentarily looking at the Barcelona field, met her eyes.
'Camila!'
And Camila heard a sound as if Ha-neul was calling her. Of course, Ha-neul didn't actually shout. Shouting on the field meant to draw attention to herself.
But just by meeting eyes, Camila knew what pass Ha-neul wanted.
Since they had spent most of their lives together, exchanging passes tens of thousands of times or more, there was something that didn't need to be said between them.
Thud.
A light but professional quick pass from Camila pierced through Bilbao's midfielders and went to Ha-neul.
A perfect direct pass that went from near the center line to outside the penalty box in one go.
The pass connected through the gap known only to the two of them reached Ha-neul, and the power and direction of the pass were exactly what Ha-neul wanted.
Thud.
The ball bounced off Ha-neul's toe and flew over the head of the opposing defensive midfielder,
Squeak - Thud!
[Ah! Maité pushes Ryu Ha-neul's back! And immediately the whistle blows! Foul declared.]
The opposing defensive midfielder pushed Ha-neul's back at the same time the referee's whistle blew.
"Ha-neul!"
Camila quickly ran to where Ha-neul fell, wondering if he might have gotten hurt because of her pass, but Ha-neul, as usual, shook off the grass before anyone came and stood up from the ground.
"Eh, it's okay. It's okay."
"Sigh..."
Thinking that it was fortunate that he said it's okay, but it was also pitiful that Ha-neul continued playing football even though he rolled and fell like ordinary men.
But since it was Ha-neul's choice, Camila soon dismissed that thought. If football and romance were Ha-neul's choices, no matter what the choice was, Camila was prepared to accept it, and she had accepted it.
Camila, who had vented her sad feelings about Ha-neul, checked the distance to the goal.
The distance to the goal was about 23m.
"Should I take it?"
Since Yelena, the dedicated free-kick taker, wasn't there today, Arnal wandered near the free-kick area and spoke up.
Usually, the player who takes Barcelona's free kicks is Yelena as the number one. And depending on position and distance, players like Arnal, Albaria, Eloya, Lorenza, etc., take turns, so Arnal's words were ordinary.
But,
"Should I take it?"
When Arnal said that, Camila raised her hand, showing her intention to take the free kick.
It had been about 3-4 months since she focused on practicing free kicks especially.
During training, when she took free kicks, Ha-neul clapped, and her confidence in free kicks had gradually increased, and she also had the desire to finish the chance she got from Ha-neul rolling on the ground.
"Yeah? Then Camila, why don't you take it? With this position, there shouldn't be any big problem, right?"
"Well, we're leading anyway."
And with Camila's words, other Barcelona teammates nodded.
Since other teammates also knew that Camila had been focusing on practicing free kicks for several months and that Camila's free kicks were on a good trajectory, the process of Camila taking the free kick was quickly decided.
[Ah, Camila is preparing the free kick. The distance to the goal is about 23-24m. Camila! Running! Shoot!]
And Camila's free kick, with a beautiful spin, was sucked into the corner of the goal.
It couldn't be said to be fast, but a beautiful free kick with accuracy and a lot of curve was enough to shake Bilbao's goal net,
- Waaaaaaa!!
The cheers of the away fans from Barcelona rang out in the stadium again.
[Camila's fifth league goal! Creates a wonderful free kick goal!]
"Oh..., Camila, did you practice a lot?"
Ha-neul, who was preparing the second ball, approached and lightly hugged her, whispering in her ear. In the middle of the game, Ha-neul's slightly panting voice made Camila's lower abdomen tingle again. Camila, hiding her state, spoke calmly as usual.
"Every time you fall, I have to score a free kick goal."
This was a bit cool, right? ... Camila hid that thought too.
"Then, from now on, you can roll more?"
"...No."
But Ha-neul focused on football rather than giving compliments like "you're cool". Well, that was Ha-neul's way, though.
Anyway, with Camila's free kick goal as the last one, the goals of both teams no longer shook, and the match ended.
And at the airport where they arrived to return to Barcelona.
"Camila."
"Eh?"
"Do you know that the next away game is to Atlanta?"
"Yeah."
"On the first day, will you come to my room?"
Ha-neul finally conveyed the awaited words. And suddenly, there was only one reason why Ha-neul would do this.
'Hehe. Ha-neul didn't say it, but today I was pretty cool, weren't I.'
Clearly, Ha-neul's heart must have fluttered when he saw her free kick goal.
Camila, who made the promise with Ha-neul, promised to practice free kicks more in the future, and giggled inside the plane all the way back to Barcelona.