Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: Regression
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Regression.
I've loved soccer ever since I was a kid.
One day, my dad came home drunk, carrying a soccer ball instead of the latest gaming console.
That tiny incident was what got me hooked on soccer.
To be honest, I was disappointed it wasn't a home console.
"W... Wow! A soccer ball! Dad's the best!"
"Chan-hyuk, sorry. Dad went to the store to buy you a gaming console, but they were all sold out."
"No way! I like the soccer ball better!"
Because of our poor childhood, I'd matured early. Worried Dad might feel bad, I put on an extra-bright smile as I took the ball.
"Should we play soccer together this Sunday, Dad?"
"Yeah!"
From that day on, we kicked the ball around on the school field every day with Dad, and naturally, my dream became to be a soccer player.
But.
Like most kids who dreamed of being pros.
I painfully realized my lack of talent and had to give up on becoming a soccer player.
"Park Chan-hyuk, not heading to training today?"
"Nah, I'm quitting soccer."
"What? Why?!"
"Just feels like it's not for me."
It was a bit sad, but some things in this world can't be overcome with effort alone.
'Soccer IQ is world-class, but my physicals are K5 level. Getting into a pro club would be a miracle...'
I was brutally self-aware. I was certain no pro team would scout me, so after my third year of middle school, I shelved the dream and started preparing for my future faster than my peers.
'What now to make a living...? Should've studied when I was younger.'
But my childhood had been a straight shot toward becoming a soccer player, so switching paths felt daunting.
Especially studying—math in particular was clearly the devil's subject. Guessing C every time scored better than actually solving it.
'Heh, I'm screwed.'
As worries about my future naturally grew.
I got my report card, drowned my sorrows by playing Soccer Manager all night.
"Hey, you punk! With grades like this, how can you even hold a game controller?!"
"Mom, just one more game!"
"What's so fun about just typing in soccer player names? Go be a soccer manager instead, you rascal!"
And in the early morning, after getting smacked by Mom, enlightenment struck.
'No talent as a player, but what about as a manager?'
I immediately went to my middle school coach for help.
"Coach... I want to become a soccer manager."
"Why tell me? If you want to manage, get your coaching license after high school."
And that choice back then turned out to be a godsend.
"Chan-hyuk, you got your coaching license, right?"
"Yeah. KFA C License."
"Already?"
"Got the D License right after high school graduation, then the C right after discharge."
"You little bastard, disgustingly diligent. There's a youth coach spot open at a pro club. Interested? I'll recommend you. Wanna interview?"
"As expected, Korea's greatest coach who cares for his disciples—Coach Park Cheol-woong!"
"Bullshit... Most guys mature after the army, but you come back even more unhinged."
After discharge, thanks to the recommendation from my middle school soccer coach and mentor, Coach Park Cheol-woong, I started my career at a pro club's youth team—even if it was second division.
'They call it a pro club's youth coach, but it's basically neglected daycare staff.'
On my first day, the club's facilities hit me hard, but I steeled myself, coached the kids passionately, and studied everything from sports psychology onward nonstop.
The club staff who watched noticed, and after I got my A License, they offered me the Reserve League manager job.
My excellent grades finishing the coaching courses probably helped.
Anyway, I accepted and became manager of the Reserve League (reserve team).
Not many fans for reserve games, but it was an important club role raising future cores, and a valuable spot to gain managerial experience.
One day, as I built my coaching resume.
The manager got fired for poor results, and even the assistant coach refused the interim role, so the club appointed me interim manager.
At mid-thirties, I was acting manager for a pro second-division team. Considering I was 'unelected,' it was an extraordinarily fast promotion.
If the parent company's finances hadn't been bad, slashing funding, I might never have gotten the gig.
Anyway, as acting manager, I posted decent results.
And leveraged those into a formal manager contract with the club.
'Next season, we even achieved the historic first-ever promotion to the first division in club history.'
Soccer fever swept the Tigers' home region with the promotion.
[Tigers Stirring Up a Storm in the First Division—The Key is Manager Park Chan-hyuk's Future.]
Domestic fans slowly fell for my '(physical) attacking soccer philosophy' of weak teams smashing powerhouses.
[Tigers Manager Park Chan-hyuk on Criticism of Rough Soccer: "Soccer... has to hurt."]
└ ...Charlie Adam?
└ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└ At least no leisure sports bullshit lololol
└ Even an idiot couldn't handle that lololol
Limited by our poor citizen club's squad depth, we couldn't win the title as starters got injured late-season.
[Tigers Manager Park Chan-hyuk Mocks Relegated Giants? "Next season, I pray they stay up."]
└ This guy?
└ Savage?
└ Thanks for saying what I wanted ㅎㅎ
└ Bye~ Bye~~
└ Telling reporters to pray together for Giants' survival next season was pure madness lolol
My flashy interviews throughout the season shot me to star manager status.
[Tigers Manager Park Chan-hyuk's Words, Words, Words. Amid Endless Controversies, Park Chan-hyuk Posts Apology.]
└ This an apology?
└ ㅅㅂㅋㅋ Just stating facts, didn't know it'd hurt feelings. But words are out, so forgive me lol
└ Translation: So what're you gonna do about it if you're hurt.
Sure, my infamy rose a bit, but it didn't matter much.
Managers prove with results.
[Park Chan-hyuk Magic? Away Seats Sold Out.]
└ Why do Tigers always have more away fans than home?
└ ㅅㅂ This guy's so infuriating.
Every trash talk spiked away ticket sales, proving my way right.
Anyway, bad fame beats no fame, like bad comments beat none.
[KFA Considers Park Chan-hyuk for Next National Team Manager...]
└ Who's this no-name?
└ Tigers manager.
└ No way, don't do domestic managers lol; just get a foreigner;;
Indeed, my notoriety got me on the shortlist for national team manager.
[Tigers Manager Park Chan-hyuk Eyes National Team Job: "My Soccer Will Work Worldwide."]
└ Nooooo ㅠㅠ Association, don't take our manager ㅠㅠ
└ Too embarrassing to release, please stay with Tigers ㅠㅠ
└Chan
└Hyuk
└God.
└King.
That day, seeing the article, I planned taking the national team to Europe with good results. Spinning happy circuits with fancy words.
All pointless plans now.
Happiness was too short, misfortune hit at once.
[KFA Appoints 2002 Legend Hong Man-bo as National Team Manager.]
Fell off the shortlist to Korea soccer's legend.
Looking back, the association used me as a shield.
I was outside their mainstream old-boy network, no protesting.
In Korea, to eat via soccer/managing, don't cross the association.
Public backing, maybe I'd fight, but.
[Public Fury Over Hong Man-bo Hire...]
└ Still, better than Park Chan-hyuk;;
└ Fr, Man-bo at least won Korean League.
Sadly, public sentiment toward me sucked.
My loose lips meant interviews risked pad-lip without backlash lucky.
No grounds to fight; shield was just suspicion.
- Wow, my son's representing the country?
Parents thrilled son was national team candidate, died days after I dropped off—car accident en route to Seoul to console me.
'Shouldn't have become a soccer manager.'
In depression and self-blame, sending parents off, staring blankly at crosswalk signal.
Sudden chest pain, collapsed.
- Kyaaah—!
- Sir in the black hat, call 119!
- M-me?
Screams around, chaos, then consciousness faded.
Flash.
Opened eyes.
"Ngah?"
I was a baby.
A perfectly ordinary regression.