I Have an Alternative
"If Senior Cha joins us, London City FC will get promoted right away!"
Yu Hyeon-seong's confident declaration caught me off guard, and I set down my fork in surprise. Promoted? What on earth made him say something like that?
"Promoted? Hyeon-seong, what was London City's standing this season?"
"Fourteenth place."
Yu Hyeon-seong grinned as he answered. Fourteenth. Not even mid-table—they were firmly in the lower ranks.
"Right. So how exactly do you figure instant promotion is possible?"
I shook my head and launched into a realistic breakdown. Truth be told, I was starting to worry. Wasn't this guy being a bit too optimistic?
"Hyeon-seong, from what I know, London City FC is just a lower-table league team. You're the only standout player, and the club doesn't seem to be investing big in transfers either."
I paused to pop a piece of chocolate cake into my mouth. The sweetness spread across my tongue, but my expression stayed dead serious.
"Even Ashbery Town barely bothers analyzing them. They figure it's an easy win."
Yu Hyeon-seong listened to the end, then nodded slowly, a knowing smile spreading across his face.
"You're right. That's how it was with London City until now."
"Then how the hell...?"
"But Senior."
He leaned forward as he spoke.
"The general manager is an outstanding man."
William Foster, the GM. No denying it—he hadn't struck me as ordinary when we met yesterday. A young talent who'd risen from scout to GM. He had the makings of a revolutionary, sure, but turning a team around in the short term? Impossible.
"I'll give you that. But I heard he's only been GM for a short while. The only way to change a team that fast is through transfers, right?"
Tae-young, who'd been shoveling cake beside me, nodded vigorously and chimed in.
"Yeah, they must be signing some big-name player or something?"
"They're focusing on promising youngsters."
Yu Hyeon-seong's reply left Tae-young and me even more baffled. Building around prospects and aiming for promotion? That was fairy-tale stuff.
"So how?"
I pressed again.
Yu Hyeon-seong glanced around, then lowered his voice.
"This is confidential."
He beckoned us closer. Three burly guys huddling over a small café table looked a little ridiculous, but we leaned in with straight faces, ears perked.
"There will be a signing. A big one that’ll shock the world."
Tae-young and I swallowed hard at his words. Who the hell could a second-division bottom-feeder sign to sound this certain?
"What kind of player can a lower-table second-division team even snag?"
Tae-young asked cautiously. Yu Hyeon-seong flashed a mysterious smile and spoke.
"Lechat Samot."
The fluent foreign name threw Tae-young and me for a loop, but he quickly corrected it for our benefit.
"Lechat Samot. They're bringing in that lunatic world-class manager who got booted from Munich."
"...Fucking insane."
"...Insane."
The curse slipped out of our mouths in unison.
Tae-young dropped his fork, and I slumped back against my chair in shock.
"For real? Lechat Samot?"
My voice trembled.
Lechat Samot. The genius manager whose name everyone in football knew. The tactical master who'd led Bayern Munich to Champions League glory. But also infamous as a lone wolf, constantly clashing with his players.
"Yes. It's confirmed. Word's already leaked to a few players. Get ready to toughen up."
His assured tone muddled my thoughts. If Lechat Samot really came...
"But that guy's personality..."
"Isn't he basically a psycho?"
Tae-young and I muttered. Yu Hyeon-seong nodded.
"His tactics and results are on another level of insane too."
True enough. Lechat Samot. If he joined, London City FC would become a completely different beast.
For better or worse.
His tactical genius was beyond question, and even if his personality grated, he guaranteed results.
"When's the announcement?"
"Soon. Probably official within the next week."
The café fell quiet after his reply.
I took a sip of my cold black tea.
London City's ambitions were far grander than I'd imagined.
Back at Tae-young's place, I collapsed onto the living room sofa. My mind was a whirlwind.
From everything I'd heard, London City seemed dead serious about football now.
I'd thought it was just a joke offer at first.
More like, I'd figured they just wanted my boots. But the contract terms, and now this Lechat Samot news—it felt genuine.
I ruffled my hair, lost in thought, fiddling with the contract William had given me in one hand.
Honestly, the terms aren't bad...
£11,000 a week, about 600 million won a year. Given my situation, it was a solid deal. Add the boot sponsorship, and money wouldn't be an issue.
But a nagging unease lingered. Could I fully recover from the injury? Regain my old form? Survive under a monster like Lechat Samot?
Then my phone blared.
Caller: GM Daniel Henderson.
I hesitated, then picked up.
"Hello."
"Cha Kang-min! Where are you?"
Daniel's voice was frantic, nothing like his usual tone.
"At home. What's going on?"
"What's going on? The contract! I heard rumors of other clubs approaching you—is it true?"
Rumors already? I frowned.
"That's not something you need to worry about, is it?"
"What? Not my worry?"
His voice jumped an octave.
"You still don't get it. What team do you think wants you? You think any Championship side would take you?"
My face hardened at his tone.
"Face reality! You're an injured player—no guarantee you'll even come back. Without us, you've got nowhere to go."
I clenched my fist.
"So?"
"So sign the damn contract already. No more stalling. Oh, and if you come back, we'll help with rehab again. The best medical team in the UK, at least."
His rehab offer was tempting. If not for the boots worth billions in my hands.
At least London City made a more sincere offer.
What I wanted was football, right? Fans and all that were factors, sure. But not reasons to play under shitty terms.
"I'll think about it some more."
I said firmly. After his bullying attitude, I wanted to shove it back at him.
"What? Think about it?"
Disbelief colored his voice.
"Cha Kang-min, what the hell are you deluded about? You think you're in a position to choose? Reject us, and where do you go?"
"That's my business."
My tone chilled further.
"Hey, you really..."
"GM."
I cut him off.
"What I need is an environment to play football. Not one where I'm insulted."
"Insulted? When did I ever—"
"You're doing it right now."
Silence fell on the other end.
"I've already got an offer. Several times your weekly pay."
"You're throwing away the fans and everything for some cash...!"
"It's not 'some cash.' It's how the club values me. I don't want to talk like this anymore. Give me more time."
"Cha Kang-min, you'll regret this. Without us, you really have nowhere..."
I hung up without hearing the end. Tossing the phone on the sofa, I let out a deep sigh. No more agonizing. My mind was made up.
Meanwhile, in Ashbery FC's GM office, Daniel Henderson set down his phone with a sly grin.
"The kid still thinks he's got choices."
He leaned back, tapping the desk. A small note lay beside him.
London City Contact Rumors Confirmed
"London City? Ha! What kind of offer can a league bottom-dweller make?"
Daniel had no clue about the caliber of London City's proposal. In his mind, Cha Kang-min was still just an injured player with no options.
"He'll hold out a bit longer, then come crawling back."
With a smug look, he booted up his computer and pulled up Cha Kang-min's file.
"Even offered rehab support. That's plenty attractive."
He reviewed his terms again: £3,000 weekly base, performance bonuses. For an injured player, it was generous, he figured.
"No Championship club wants a banged-up player like him anyway. Especially not this case..."
He chuckled and shook his head.
"He'll call back tomorrow. More humble then."
Daniel sipped his coffee leisurely.
But he didn't know. Cha Kang-min already had a far better alternative—and his own arrogance had pushed him away for good.
Snorting, he moved on to other work. Convinced he still held the upper hand. Deluded that everything was under his control.
And the next day.
"Whoa, these training facilities are insane, hyung!"
Tae-young's flippant remark made me frown.
"Pull yourself together, Tae-young."
London City FC's stadium.
I'd arrived.