Treble -3
Unfortunately, the chance to spin that guy's jaw never came my way. Coach Valverde, as if possessed by some ancient spirit, pierced right through my intentions with his insight and quickly called for a substitution.
A flicker of annoyance lasted only a moment. Thinking it over...
...Huh? Wait, isn't this actually pretty sweet?
Flashing a happy smile at the untimely early sub, I hurried off the touchline in case Valverde changed his mind, then headed straight home to clock out.
"Boss, I'm goin' home! You go home too!"
"...? Did that bastard just call me 'you'?"
"Must've misheard."
Real Madrid let in a late equalizer against Sevilla, ending in a draw. After the whistle, reporters swarmed like sharks smelling blood between Valverde and me. But Valverde nailed a short interview that satisfied the press and won over the Madridistas.
Valverde's words got translated and spread to Korea, and just like that, I got downgraded from nuke to a grenade with the pin pulled out.
Reading that post, rage consumed me, and I took it out in the league round 35 match against Granada.
"Vamos!!"
Subbed on late, I hammered in three goals in five minutes, crushing the Granada fans who were already dreaming of victory.
"Puta! You bastard, why do this to us?!"
Gifting despair to Granada fans battling relegation this season, I smirked at how community opinion flipped in an instant.
While Granada fans lit fires in their stadium trash cans for an impromptu campfire...
The U-20 World Cup kicked off in France.
France crushed Poland 4-0 in the opener. Next up: South Korea vs. Portugal.
"JuAdam starts at right-back."
"Fans worried about his young age at selection."
JuAdam, nurtured at Jesus Orphanage with pro coaching from Madrid youth staff, boldly proved why he'd skipped grades into the U-20 starting XI against Portugal.
"JuAdam!! Reads the pass and intercepts! South Korea counter!"
"Whoa! Fast! JuAdam blasting down the flank!"
"JuAdam's cross!!! Ah! Just misses Park Dong-jin's head. Portugal clears—corner to South Korea."
"...Couldn't finish, but JuAdam created a great chance."
"Talent shining through at such a young age! Oh... camera zooms in!"
Active from the start as South Korea's build-up oil, JuAdam snatched a second ball on a corner and unleashed a shot.
"South Korea corner! Joao Patricio punches it out! Falls to JuAdam!"
"JuAdam shoots!! UOOOOOAL! GOOOAL! GOOOAL! South Korea takes the lead!"
"Oh, forgot to mention—this kid's ambidextrous!"
"Left foot rips it into the corner! Ju! A! Dam!"
His thunderous shot grazed Patricio's hands and bulged the net. JuAdam sprinted to the corner flag, roaring at the Korean expat supporters.
"UAAAAAH—! Fuck all you Korean boomer bastards!!"
"...Ahem... Apologies for the brief broadcast glitch."
"...At that age, full of societal angst, so viewers please be understanding..."
"That sounds even more boomer."
"......"
While the commentators dove into a surprise boomer debate, JuAdam finished celebrating and jogged back to the center circle, face stern.
'Gotta succeed like Jesus bro quick and support the orphanage.'
Unlike kids whose parents never came, his parents showed up once he got famous, demanding their kid back and causing chaos.
Watching that scarred him again, nearly sending him spiraling—but care from orphanage kids, Jesus whom he idolized, and video calls with Yohan who called him uncle kept him steady.
'Wanna get Yohan a gift too. No idea what he'd like... Talk to Juyun and Junasaret later.'
"Oh—Adam's killing it?"
Jesus, watching on TV, let out a small gasp of admiration. As JuAdam's roar filled the screen—the same face from their video calls—Yohan jumped.
"Pwaa—! Uncle!"
Nodding at Yohan's cuteness, Jesus said,
"Yeah, Uncle Adam? Uncle's good at soccer, right?"
"No! Yohani better! Look—!"
As Jesus clapped and watched Yohan's antics raptly, the match ended in South Korea's win before he knew it.
"See—! Yohani better!"
"Huh? Game's over?"
Jesus, who'd promised feedback on JuAdam's play, awkwardly smiled through the post-match video call, repeating what the youth coaches at the orphanage had said.
"Keep it up like that and you'll make it big? Adam worked hard!"
"Hehehe, thanks bro. Call you again soon!"
Stung by conscience at JuAdam's pure joy, Jesus brushed it off.
'Eh, he's happy, that's what counts.'
Not as popular as the senior national team, but South Korea U-20 beating Portugal set the country ablaze.
The old controversy post got dragged back and beaten down, fans piling on the OP—attention naturally shifted to Jesus Orphanage.
Korean soccer fans buzzed over the surprise U-20 heroics.
"Jesus vs Yoo Youngbeom. Europe's top 5-league saves leader—can he stop Jesus?"
"May 24. Korean Derby in Copa del Rey Final."
Flooded online with ads, fans zeroed in on the Real Madrid vs. Mallorca Korean Derby in the Copa del Rey final.
Koreans lost track of time rolling with Yoo Youngbeom transfer rumors. The Real Madrid vs. Mallorca Copa del Rey final loomed.