Han Ye-jin's Roadblock
Han Ye-jin drew a deep breath as she stared at Cha Kang-min's battered Honda Civic.
Stay calm. Just stay calm.
Over the past few years, she had believed she had Cha Kang-min perfectly under her control. She had exploited the collapse of his self-esteem and confidence after the injury, turning him into someone who depended entirely on her. By preying on his fears and insecurities as a soccer player, she had kept him firmly in her grasp.
Even his injury had become an opportunity for her. Under the pretense of helping him recover, she had been able to burrow deeper into his mind.
I thought I had him completely in my hands.
Han Ye-jin had been so sure of herself. She knew exactly which words would shake him and which actions would break him.
Except for one miscalculation.
Her affair with Leo Silva being discovered had been a complete failure of foresight. That timing had never been meant for Cha Kang-min's return.
Regret won't change anything now.
Tap, tap—
She approached the car and knocked on the window. Cha Kang-min rolled it down. His expression was closer to blank than surprised.
"Han Ye-jin?"
"K-Kang-min..."
Her voice trembled.
"You transferred because of me, didn't you? I... I was wrong. I made a mistake."
Cha Kang-min simply watched her in silence.
"Kang-min, please. Just give me one more chance. I'll fix everything. I can control Leo. And I'll give you anything you want."
She placed her hand on the car door, wearing the desperate expression she had perfected over the years—the wounded woman, the one who loved him with all her heart. It had always been an act.
But Cha Kang-min's reaction was different this time. He remained expressionless, simply staring at her.
Her voice grew more urgent.
"Kang-min, think about all the time we spent together. You know how much I love you. It's nothing like what you had with someone like Leo."
Cha Kang-min began rolling the window up.
"Wait! Just wait!"
She rushed in front of the car and slammed both hands onto the hood, making it clear she had no intention of moving.
"Run me over! Go ahead and hit me! I can't live without you!"
She knew it was the kind of scene straight out of a third-rate drama. Still, it would work. Cha Kang-min was disgustingly kind.
And sure enough, the door opened and he stepped out.
His voice was ice-cold.
"Kang-min, please." Han Ye-jin clung to him. "Do you know how much I regret this? Do you know how much I've missed you?"
"Move."
"I won't! I'll never move! I can't let you go!"
She grabbed his arm tightly, real tears welling in her eyes—not from acting, but from genuine despair.
"Kang-min, let's start over. I'll change everything. The club's management, our relationship—I'll make it all exactly how you want it."
Cha Kang-min quietly peeled her hands away. After a silent nod, he spoke.
"You knew about the Rehabilitation Center, didn't you?"
Her face stiffened.
"What... what are you talking about?"
"The specialized injury recovery facility in Germany. Costs around five hundred million won."
His voice remained calm, which only made it more terrifying.
"When I got injured, I left everything about rehabilitation to you. You said you'd get me the best treatment possible. So why didn't you ever mention that program?"
She bit down hard on her lip. Of course she had known about it—she had researched it right after his injury. She had simply chosen not to tell him.
"K-Kang-min... that's..."
"I see. So you did know."
He wasn't even angry anymore. He was simply confirming the facts.
"Just answer one thing. Why didn't you tell me?"
Han Ye-jin suddenly found herself speechless. She didn't know what to say—more precisely, she couldn't say it. Even she didn't fully understand her own reason.
Why had she kept the Rehabilitation Center from him?
At the time, she had simply wanted to. But now...
She thought she understood.
Because he might have left me.
When Cha Kang-min was healthy, he had been independent, relying on no one. His feelings for her had been love, not dependence. But after the injury, everything changed. He needed her. He leaned on her.
...She had liked that.
The realization that he needed her.
Stunned by the revelation, Han Ye-jin stood frozen in place.
In that moment—
"Well, I'm not curious anymore."
Cha Kang-min turned his back and climbed into the car.
"Cha Kang-min?"
Two hours by car from Munich, Germany.
The Rehabilitation Center was more modern than he had expected. A five-story building perched on a hill with a view of the Alps, its entire front made of glass that let sunlight pour inside.
I finished the simple registration process at the first-floor reception. While filling out the English forms, I reflected on the journey that had brought me here.
After my final encounter with Han Ye-jin, I had immediately booked a flight. There was no time to hesitate. Manager Le Chat's challenge had ignited something in me, and more than anything, I needed to confirm who I still was.
"Cha Kang-min?"
A red-haired young woman called my name. She looked to be in her mid-twenties, wearing a white lab coat and holding a stack of documents.
"Yes, that's me."
"Hello. I'm Dr. Christina, the research director. We'll be working together from now on."
She spoke fluent English. Though German, she had studied in the United States for many years.
"We'll begin with some basic tests. This way, please."
On the second floor, various medical devices lined the room—MRI, CT, electromyography machines, and other advanced equipment I couldn't even name.
"You'll undergo a full-body examination here. We'll check muscle condition, bone density, nerve conduction speed, blood work—everything."
The tests took longer than expected. For four hours they measured, scanned, and drew blood. There were short breaks, but I was exhausted by the end.
"Now let's review the results."
Christina sat in front of a large monitor displaying a 3D image of my body along with various numerical data.
"Hmm... interesting."
"What is?"
"If we consider your peak performance as 100, your current level is around 67."
67? Lower than I had anticipated. I had assumed it would be at least 80.
"But there's something worth noting here."
She zoomed in on a section of the screen.
"Your muscle mass and strength have clearly declined. However, your motor nerves and reflex speed remain nearly at their previous levels. That's quite rare."
"What does that mean?"
"Simply put, the parts that can be rehabilitated have rusted, but the parts that can't be rehabilitated are still intact. With proper rehabilitation, you can recover to a significant degree."
It was hopeful news.
"But..."
Her expression grew slightly serious.
"You're quite psychologically withdrawn, aren't you?"
"Excuse me?"
"According to the data, your actual performance is significantly lower than your physical capabilities would suggest. This usually indicates psychological factors at play."
I nodded. It was true—my confidence in soccer had plummeted since the injury. I no longer played as boldly as before, constantly worried about getting hurt again.
"No. That's not it."
"...Pardon?"
"I'm talking about a heavier burden on your mind."
Christina rested her chin on her hand and studied me quietly. Her gaze was almost uncomfortably intense.
Then her eyes lit up at my reaction, and she took a large step forward.
"W-what are you doing?"
Whoosh.
In an instant, she was right in front of my face. A pleasant scent—perfume or perhaps her natural fragrance—reached me.
But that was all.
"Could you please maintain some distance? This is making me uncomfortable."
"...Mmm."
Instead of backing away, she tilted her head and took another step closer. I instinctively retreated until my back hit the wall.
Her upper body began pressing against my chest.
"Most men would at least glance at me by now."
"What exactly is this...?"
"Do you have some kind of sexual dysfunction?"
"Of course not!"
"Then you've been under a lot of stress because of a woman."
"That's..."
I didn't want to talk about it. Every time I thought about it, that scene kept replaying in my head.
"Relatively recent, I assume."
"I'm sorry. It's difficult to discuss."
"No. What I'm curious about isn't something recent."
"...What?"
"I'm talking about what happened after your injury. How your relationships with women have been since then."
"Does that have any relevance?"
At my question, Christina smiled with more confidence than ever.
"Yes. Because I can clearly see the signs that you've been properly gaslighted."
"Gaslighting...?"
She casually tapped a document against my chest.
Dependency Relationship Test
"After your injury, didn't you start wanting to depend on someone? A girlfriend, perhaps."
She paused for a moment before finishing.
"Or maybe a teammate."