Ink of Remembrance
Before returning to Spain, Ha Sunmoon of the crisis-stricken Espanyol had something he wanted to do. Once he began his full professional career in earnest, opportunities to visit Brazil would become rare, so he needed a symbol to commemorate Lucas. Ha Sunmoon decided to follow the path many Brazilian players took. What he chose was a tattoo.
The tattoo shop door creaked as Ha Sunmoon stepped inside. A rough-looking artist glanced up from behind the counter. The moment he saw a kid walk in, he started to bark at him to get lost—until he recognized the familiar face.
“Hey? Aren’t you that Ha kid who used to live around here?”
The artist knew him. They had crossed paths several times in the neighborhood. Ha Sunmoon nodded.
“Yeah, I saw you playing this time. You were at Fluminense, right?”
“That’s right.”
“So what brings you here? You’re not actually here for a tattoo, are you?”
Ha Sunmoon nodded again.
“It looks like I won’t be able to come back to Brazil very often anymore. I want to get a tattoo to honor my friend Lucas.”
“Lucas? Ah… you mean that kid?”
The artist wasn’t thrilled about inking someone so young, but the reason was solid. He began preparing his equipment.
“How do you want it?”
“Just his name, please.”
“Lucas, yeah?”
“Yes.”
“I hope you make it big. I hope this tattoo gets seen everywhere else too.”
Ha Sunmoon gave one final nod.
“All right, I’m starting. This is going to sting a little.”
“Okay. Ow!”
“Ouch, that burns!”
On the flight back to Spain, Ha Sunmoon sat in an extremely awkward position. Lying flat on his back would have been comfortable, but he forced himself to stay on his right side.
Ha Sunmoon glared at him. “Clive. Mind your own business.”
“Soldiers get meaningful tattoos all the time. Anyone listening would think I’m the only one who does it.”
Since soldiers really did get them often, Clive fell silent. He remembered plenty of men in his unit who had similar ink.
Ha Sunmoon had Lucas’s name tattooed on his left arm. The artist had poured his creativity into it, adding a subtle background that gave the piece a strong Brazilian flavor. The result was a cool tattoo now etched across Ha Sunmoon’s left shoulder. The only downside to such impressive artwork was the uncomfortable flight it forced him to endure.
After nearly a month away, Ha Sunmoon finally returned to Barcelona. Just like his first arrival, he landed late in the evening, so he and Felipe headed straight for Raul’s restaurant.
“Well, who do we have here? If it isn’t Sunmoon!”
“It’s been a while, Uncle Raul.”
Raul recognized him instantly.
“Felipe, good to see you again too.”
Felipe gave a light smile.
“I missed the food here. That’s why we came straight from the airport.”
“Thank you for loving our place so much. Have a seat over there. One good table is still open.”
“By the way, it’s really crowded today. People keep coming in.”
Raul pointed toward the corner of the restaurant. A large TV there was broadcasting an Espanyol match.
“Ah, so Espanyol are playing today.”
“Exactly. A lot of our customers come specifically to watch the game and eat together.”
“Quite a few must come just for the football.”
“That’s what we’re counting on.”
The moment he mentioned how busy the place was, quiet murmurs rose from one of the tables.
Ha Sunmoon hadn’t noticed at first, but people at several tables were now glancing in his direction.
By the time Ha Sunmoon and Felipe started eating, the match had reached halftime. As soon as the whistle blew, the Espanyol fans began to move.
“Excuse me… are you the Espanyol youth player who was shining in Brazil?”
“Yes, that’s me.”
“Then could I get your autograph?”
The sudden request made Ha Sunmoon’s eyes widen.
“Uh… sure!”
Raul handed him something to sign on, and Ha Sunmoon was able to give his first autograph. Felipe watched carefully, believing the way a player handled these moments was extremely important. Showing fans a good image from a young age only increased his value.
“Good. You’re doing well, Sunmoon.”
At Felipe’s praise, a small swell of pride rose in Ha Sunmoon’s chest. Soon more fans lined up behind the first one. They were clearly trying to make the most of halftime. After a short but steady stream of signatures, Ha Sunmoon could finally breathe and return to his meal.
The voices drifted across from the other tables. Ha Sunmoon’s mood had been lifted by the compliments, but the darker comments made him pause mid-bite. Soon Raul approached, and Ha Sunmoon asked what was going on.
“Hmm… you probably didn’t hear much about the team while you were in Brazil. After the manager changed, the first team’s situation has been pretty bad. That’s why even watching you academy kids feels like a bright spot for the fans.”
“It’s that bad?”
While Ha Sunmoon had been away, Espanyol had fallen into serious trouble. The team that had finished seventh in La Liga the previous season now sat in seventeenth. They were barely out of the relegation zone; one more slip and they would drop.
“Damn it!”
“Fucking hell!”
“That son of a bitch.”
“Not Pedrosa getting injured!”
“The game’s already falling apart—what the hell are they doing?”
Curses began pouring from the corner where the TV was.
“Pedrosa?”
The familiar name made even Felipe frown.
The next day, when Ha Sunmoon returned to the training ground, he immediately sensed the B team’s atmosphere had shifted. After greeting the players he hadn’t seen in a while, he waited in the locker room for the coach. David soon arrived and began delivering the updates.
“As you all know, Espanyol’s situation isn’t good right now. We’re sliding down the table and key players keep suffering serious injuries. The first team is completely fucked.”
This was good news for Ha Sunmoon. He had confirmed that the starting left-back, Pedrosa, was out with injury. A chance would come his way.
“On top of that, the new manager has changed the tactics. We used to play mainly 4-3-3, but now we’ve switched to 4-4-2. You understand what that means, right?”
A few subdued voices answered. The shift to 4-4-2 meant more opportunities for forwards, but fewer for midfielders. For a fullback like Ha Sunmoon, however, it made little difference. All he had to do now was prepare to move up.
Ha Sunmoon’s face brightened with anticipation. But the hope was short-lived. Clive’s voice suddenly carried a note of surprise as he realized someone was missing.
“If you’re talking about him…”
Ha Sunmoon quickly scanned the room for the missing player.
“He’s gone. He’s not here.”
The B team’s starting left-back and Ha Sunmoon’s direct rival, Rancho, was nowhere to be seen.
“Sunmoon!”
B team coach David walked over to him.
“From today onward, you are the B team’s starting left-back.”
Ha Sunmoon’s lips trembled slightly.
“I’m the starter now. Where did Rancho go?”
“Rancho has been promoted to the Espanyol first team.”
Just as he had feared, that was the answer. Rancho had been called up. The only left-back remaining in the first team was Villa, whose form had declined. If the manager wasn’t satisfied, Rancho could easily step into the starting lineup from the bench.
David spoke with a touch of regret in his voice.
“I saw how well you played in Brazil… but the timing just didn’t work. If you had returned a little earlier, I would have considered promoting you to the first team. Because you came back late, we sent Rancho up first. I thought about it for a long time, so there’s nothing we can do. If another chance comes, I’ll seriously consider bringing you up. Understood?”
In short, while Ha Sunmoon had been away for a few days, Rancho had taken the opportunity. The fact that he had advanced so far in the Brazil World Cup and then stopped in Rio de Janeiro to see Lucas had come back to bite him.
“Ugh… damn it. I told myself I wouldn’t act like a child in front of Lucas… but I’m really feeling petty right now.”