Chapter 9
CHAPTER 9: Hat-Trick
"I told you to keep that damn camera at home, didn't I!"
"It definitely worked in the old days... This is so strange..."
"We were already late because of traffic! Anyway, that damn old man is never helpful in this lifetime!"
Kim Jin-tae's mother, Lee Hee-jung, and the side dish shop owner couple were moving towards their seats after passing through the security checkpoint.
At Grandma's continuous scolding, Grandpa conveyed his apologies to Mom, Hee-jung, with a tearful face.
It was a problem that traffic was worse than usual, but the camera he brought saying he would take pictures of Jin-tae was prohibited, so they wasted quite a lot of time at the checkpoint again.
"Because of us, we missed half of it, what do we do..."
"Hoho, it's okay. Jin-tae must have been frantic preparing for the match too. And it seems he's still waiting on the bench."
"What do you mean okay! What would young Jin-tae be doing alone in this huge place? He must be waiting with his neck stretched out wondering when his mother is coming!"
"Oh my, oh my goodness. We must buy and feed him something delicious on the way back."
"Buy it with the money you squirreled away! Beef!"
"Phew, I'm really okay? Just you coming with me is reassuring enough."
Despite Mom's dissuasion, the dinner menu was decided as beef by Grandma's firm decision.
Grandpa also beat his chest, saying if he's going to feed the two, he'll buy a hearty meal.
In the situation moving towards the seats like that, Mom kept pausing her steps.
At such behavior of Mom, Grandma asked what was wrong with a puzzled face.
"It's just, it's been so long since I came to watch Jin-tae's match..."
"Oh my, how busy were you that you couldn't even watch your son playing! You don't have to worry from now on. If it's a day with Jin-tae's match, I'll let you off anytime!"
At Mom's answer, this time Grandma beat her chest and guaranteed.
She was truly grateful for Grandma, but Mom's heart was still heavy.
Because it wasn't simply because she was busy that she couldn't come all this time.
Mom caught her breath thinking of the thorn still stuck in her heart.
"Uh-uh? I think that's Jin-tae? Don't tell me he's going in right now?!"
"Huh? Oh my, it really is! Our Jin-tae fighting—!"
"What are you doing? The mother should call her son's name quickly too! That way the son gains strength!"
Jin-tae preparing for substitution the moment they sat down.
At such appearance of Jin-tae, Grandpa and Grandma cheered calling Jin-tae's name until their throats burst.
Although it wouldn't be heard by Jin-tae's ears, the two shouting their best.
But unlike those two, Mom's tightly closed lips couldn't open easily.
Rather, her complexion turned pale at the thought of wanting to run away.
She even felt suffocated by the worry of what if Jin-tae ruins the match because of her again today.
In the meantime, Jin-tae was subbed in, and...
"—!!"
He pierced the team's way out with a good pass from the start.
Amidst the boos of home fans watching the match, a sigh filled with regret flowed out for the first time.
David Villa's shot missing the goal post narrowly.
At the fact that it was Jin-tae who handed over the pass so that shot could come out, Mom unknowingly put strength in her hands and focused on the match.
Another scene that followed like that.
As Jin-tae moved finding space, Pirlo's pass headed towards him, and...
Jin-tae, who momentarily unraveled the pressure, pushed the pass coming to him directly without stopping.
Everyone's gaze, holding their breath, chased the ball leaving Jin-tae's toes, and then...
"—!!!"
As that pass led to a score, it shook the net.
An event that happened within barely 5 minutes of being subbed in.
The stadium that was full of boos until just now became full of cheers, and Grandma and Grandpa also jumped up from their seats adding their voices to the shout.
David Villa, who succeeded in scoring, unfolded a short ceremony towards the fans and then ran to Jin-tae who raised the assist and roughly ruffled his hair. Other teammates also ran over and congratulated the score and Jin-tae's first assist.
Mom, who was just watching such Jin-tae silently this time too...
"···!!"
Burst out the tears she had been suppressing.
Jin-tae, whose eyes met hers in the stadium, was smiling at her.
Oh my, it's been so long I forgot. How much of a crybaby my mom is.
Our gazes met for a very short moment, but Mom immediately shedding tears like chicken poop.
But seeing Mom crying actually made me relieved.
Thinking she is still the same.
The unworthy son drove a nail into her heart, but Mom was still cheering for me.
This made me greedy.
I said football became fun because I gained eyes to see the process.
The nail driven into Mom's heart. To pull that out, I'll have to create results.
Only then can she come to watch matches comfortably from next time.
"We still have to catch up by one more goal!"
"Focus, focus! Starting from keeping it first!"
The ball returned to the center circle again and the match that stopped resumed as the referee blew the whistle.
Atmosphere is truly mysterious.
When the first half ended with a one-goal difference, it was like a funeral home.
In a situation chasing one goal from a two-goal difference, everyone raised their voices again showing enthusiasm.
But if the mind floats away like this?
The rear shaking without fail.
We almost donated the one goal we barely caught up with right back.
Manager Vieira, heated by the defenders' concentration, came up to the technical area and shouted, and at such a rebuke from Manager Vieira, the players snapped out of it with dry faces.
We are still in a position where we have to catch up. And objectively, the performance is still a situation where the opponent is superior. If we really wish for victory in this situation? We have no choice but to become desperate.
Passes containing such desperation started to move among the players.
Although deployed in the 2nd line, I deliberately widened my activity radius little by little.
If I do this, spaces overlapping in positioning with other teammates are created, but rather, I induced such spaces to be created.
A situation where players' passes are implicitly concentrating on me with the thought of wanting to win.
To unravel these passes together with surrounding teammates, we have to share space.
And, one more thing.
I cannot endure physical fights with defenders right now. To do that, there must be someone to fight on my behalf.
Sharing space to induce that additionally.
Of course, it must be content Jack Harrison didn't expect at all, but...
Seeing that the current play was created thanks to that, wouldn't Harrison be satisfied too?
"YOU! JT, YOU! COME OVER HERE!"
"This cunning kiddo used me as bait! Well, not bad. Yeah, if you can keep using me, try using me!"
"With this, it's a tie now! If we go just like this flow, we can sufficiently win! Let's overturn this damn match!"
David Villa, who succeeded in scoring, skipped the ceremony and ran pointing at me with both hands to hug me, and Jack Harrison, who ran behind me and David Villa, tangled together and shouted.
Players who only clapped from a distance during the first score also ran to the spot this time and responded together, adding voices to the boiling atmosphere.
A situation where a match thought to be hopeless became possible to reverse if just one more goal is added.
A situation where anyone has no choice but to be aggressive.
At that moment when fans who were only pouring out boos until before were fully immersed in the match and vomiting shouts,
Ah. This is when inducing a penalty kick was still counted as an assist.
I didn't intend it, but if it remains as a record, it's not bad for me either.
Anyway, since I confirmed it became a score, I tried to turn my body and return to our camp, but...
"Catch the kiddo!"
"Our lucky charm! The atmosphere changed 180 degrees after JT came in!"
"Assist hat-trick in a debut match? Really, where did something like this roll in from?"
"Don't give only to Villa, give me some assists next time too!"
Caught properly by teammates.
Before this, ceremonies were simple because we hadn't succeeded in reversing yet.
Teammates showing no sign of letting me go holding onto me as we succeeded in reversing.
The one who saved me from such clutches(?) of teammates was Captain David Villa.
"Hands off my assist machine! JT, aren't you hurt? How is your shin? You can keep running, right? The feeling is good after a long time, you absolutely cannot get hurt!"
Ah, maybe this isn't saving me. Looking now, this side's eyes have turned slightly crazy too?
(End of Chapter)
—Translated by Prime Works —