Chapter 4
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: I'll Shine Here and Head to Real Madrid
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I'll shine here and head to Real Madrid.
A woman asked me.
"What's the flower of soccer?"
I answered her.
"Just as the flower of baseball is bench-clearing brawls, the flower of soccer is fouls."
She asked again.
Fouls?
"A foul the referee doesn't catch is more beautiful than art."
I finally met up with Agent Kim Doo-sik after he'd been busy negotiating with various Premier League teams.
His confidently bald head exuded professionalism and trustworthiness.
"Which one's offering the best terms?"
It was genuinely surprising. The club with the top offer kept changing every time.
Well, whatever. The stock trends were the same anyway.
"Newcastle."
This time it was Newcastle.
"Then let's go with them."
"They're in the relegation zone. You sure?"
"Think they'll get relegated with me there?"
"Still, just to be safe, maybe think it over a bit more?"
To the agent who was still voicing concerns,
I declared confidently.
"Bro, I'm Lord Jesus."
"Bullshit. Your name's Jesus Joo."
"...Bro, you not checking the internet these days?"
Only then did he realize it was a joke,
and Agent Bro made an embarrassed face.
"When do I have time for the internet? I just got back to Korea."
"They were calling me that overseas."
He scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"I knew they called you Jesus. Didn't know 'Lord' was attached."
"Anyway, what's Newcastle's home stadium called?"
"St. James' Park."
"Oh, that suits me perfect. St. James' Park, home to Lord Jesus."
"... ."
It was my killer line, but it didn't land.
I continued, explaining why I had to go there.
"You can't sign a pro contract anywhere but the Premier League anyway, right?"
"What're you talking about?"
"...? In Europe, you can't sign pro contracts under 18 because of labor laws."
"Who said that?"
You did, in my past life.
I stared at him silently.
He cleared his throat awkwardly.
"...Ahem. People were misinformed. After the Premier League snatched up all those promising 16-year-olds, the laws changed. And K League allows semi-pro contracts from 16 for youth development. But you're not interested in K League, right?"
I was about to nod along with the agent's words,
when Yu-na suddenly crossed my mind.
"Bro, hold on a sec."
I pulled out my smartphone
and fired off a message to Yu-na noona.
Yu-na noona and I had exchanged a few messages,
mutually expressing our feelings.
We were at the stage where whoever confessed first would start dating.
But to seize the initiative,
we'd begun a long game of push and pull.
-Me: Noona.
-Yu-na noona: Oing? Yesoo! What's up at this hour? No school?"
-Me: Lol, talking pro contracts with Agent Bro right now.
-Yu-na noona: Aha! So why'd you message noona? Miss me suddenly?
-Me: Lol, I do miss you. But that's not why.
-Me: Got an offer from the Premier League—what's Billboard for singers.
-Me: But signing there means noona's the issue lol
-Me: They say I can sign with K League. Should I?
-Yu-na noona: K League's semi-pro!
໒( ᓀ ‸ ᓂ )७ Go overseas no matter what! This noona won't hold Yesoo back!
Her response was admirable,
but also puzzling.
-Me: Huh? How'd you know K League's semi-pro?
-Yu-na noona: Noona's been watching soccer a lot lately!
-Me: Playing with fire already? Starting the wife duties? When's the wedding? Your graduation day?
-Yu-na noona: Don't talk shit!
-Me: Lololol I love you noona ♥
'Read and ignored?'
A twinge of disappointment hit me.
As I sighed softly and went to close the chat,
Song Yu-na sent a voice message.
[...I love you too. Muah. Don't look at stylist sis! Don't tease! UwAAAA embarrassed~]
Puhuhu.
This noona's adorable.
Agent Bro, who'd been watching, chimed in.
"...You two good?"
"Doesn't it show I'm head over heels?"
"Nah. It shows."
"Then why ask?"
"Hoping you get married soon."
"Huh?"
"Marry her."
"Outta nowhere?"
"Just marry her, you punk! Figure it out!"
At his sudden outburst,
my mouth moved on autopilot.
"Shouldn't you remarry first, Bro?"
"... ."
"...My bad. Sorry."
"... ."
Agent Bro Kim Doo-sik was currently in his second divorce.
To escape the cafe now shrouded in icy silence from my foot-in-mouth moment,
I decided to hold off on deciding.
"...Can I think it over more and get back to you?"
Agent Bro hated the awkward vibe too,
so he nodded and we parted at the coffee shop.
"...Yeah. See you next time. Oh, want a ride home?"
"No! Got an appointment, gotta stop by there!"
"Alright? Got it. Be safe."
"You too, Bro."
Whew. Close call.
Appointment? Bullshit.
I'd barely diffused the awkwardness and spotted an escape,
but riding with him would've made delaying pointless.
I took the subway home. A massive cross came into view from afar.
The orphanage run by the church.
Worried the kids might get hurt, I carefully opened the stiff door with rubber wedged in the gap.
"I'm home."
Fuck.
Today must be my unlucky day.
Just then, I ran into preschoolers coming out after prayers.
"Waaah, Jesus hyung!"
"Hyung! Hyung! Which team'd you sign with? You said you'd tell me first!"
"Get lost! Oppa said he'd play with me after!"
"Peep peep."
"Kieeeek."
"Beeeek."
God, just vanish already.
Gotta make bank quick and buy these kids smartphones.
Once they have phones, 90% stop clinging to me 'cause they're glued to them.
"Shoo! Oppa's playing with me!"
Even one of the stubborn 10% who wouldn't leave even with a phone yelled.
The commotion drew Mother out from the prayer room.
"Oh, Jesus, back already?"
I always felt this way.
Seeing her brought peace and calm to my heart.
"I'm home, Mother."
She smiled warmly and spread her arms, so I gave her a light hug.
"How'd the contract go? And is Doo-sik doing well?"
"Yeah. He hasn't called you?"
By the way, my agent Kim Doo-sik's from the same orphanage.
That's why I still keep the guy who bungles laws. Otherwise, I'd have ditched him ages ago.
"He stopped calling after telling me about his second divorce."
"...He'll call again once things cool."
"Anyway, is Doo-sik still at that agency?"
"Yeah. Even with the divorce, it wasn't bitter. And the boss isn't the type to nitpick personal stuff."
"Still, working where your ex-father-in-law's the boss must be awkward."
"Bro still hopes to reconcile, so he sticks around. Don't worry."
"...Yeah, look after Doo-sik. Kid's smart but clueless."
"...Tell me about it. Just say sorry for forgetting the anniversary. What pride."
"Exactly."
Well, reconciliation wasn't far off anyway.
His kid got lost in central Seoul crying for Daddy, they found him, made up, and turned into lovebirds.
"So, which team'd you sign with?"
"Ah, gonna think it over more."
"Good, Jesus. Contracts need care."
"Yes. I'll head in first, Mother."
"Rest up."
After greeting Mother,
I headed to my room.
Joo Yoon, the kid who'd assisted both my goals in my last life's Brazil match,
followed me into my room.
"Ah! No fair, hyung! You said you'd tell me first!"
"I'll tell you once it's set."
"Promise?"
"Yeah, promise."
So please,
take them and
"Oppa! Let's play house!"
"Hyung! Soccer!"
get out of my room.
That day, after house and soccer rounds,
drained of energy, I didn't pick a team on the first day meeting Doo-sik Bro in this looped life.
Was that the snowball effect?
For the first time in 234 years,
I clutched a direct ticket to a mega club.
Early morning, Kim Doo-sik called.
The exhaustion vanished at his excited voice relaying the news.
Jesus! Jackpot! Real Madrid and Barcelona put in offers! Both better than Newcastle!
"They offered? Don't they have stacked strikers?"
[Their preseason friendly had a long-term injury yesterday]
"Both teams?"