Thump Thump: Debut Against the Giants

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Ha Sunmoon forced his racing heart to settle. The reason for the pounding was painfully simple.

“Congratulations, Sunmoon. I’ve decided to start you against Real Madrid.”

Pablo Machín had chosen to use Sunmoon to shake up the team.

“Really? I’m starting against Real Madrid?” Sunmoon asked, his face a mask of disbelief.

“Yes, really. Honestly, the fact that you can’t whip in crosses doesn’t sit well with me. But I’m not sure how many crossing opportunities we’ll even get against a side like Real Madrid.”

Harrison agreed with the manager’s words. He knew Real Madrid were locked in a tight title race with Barcelona. Against a team like that, it was smarter to sit deep, stay organized, and hit them on the break than to go toe-to-toe.

“So you’re setting up defensively?”

“That’s right. It’s hard to believe, but your defensive ability actually looks ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠better than Villa’s or Rancho’s right now. At least, that’s what my own two eyes are telling me.”

Sunmoon swallowed hard. It felt good to be recognized. Even though he possessed the kind of power that could dismantle opponents like a left winger, at heart he was a defender, so the praise landed perfectly.

“And Villa will be ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠right behind you. He’s a veteran with tons of experience. Even if things go badly for you in this match, he’ll clean up the mess. So when you step onto that pitch, give it everything you have. Understood?”

Does that mean I get subbed off if I mess up?

But the manager had explained it as gently as possible, and Sunmoon quickly grasped the real meaning.

No, he’s telling me not to feel burdened and to play freely! Nice.

“Yes! I understand. And don’t worry! I’m going to tear the pitch apart out there! I was pretty hot stuff back in Brazil, you know.”

“Good. I know you were.”

Pablo Machín was reminded once again by Sunmoon’s attitude just how young the boy really was. Yet the bold, fearless way he responded carried the unmistakable spirit of a top prospect.

So this is what they mean by a special talent. People say Asian players tend to be timid, but after coming through Brazil he’s bursting with confidence.

“All right. You’re dismissed. Oh, and one more thing—don’t go spreading the news that you’re starting.”

“Of course not!”

“Off you go, then.”

Good grief. I can’t believe it. A first-team debut—and against Real Madrid, no less.

Harrison looked genuinely surprised that Sunmoon had earned a starting spot through training alone. No matter how highly the club rated the youngster, a first-team debut this soon felt incredibly fast. Harrison had never watched a top-flight Spanish league match in person, but he suspected the gap between youth football and senior professional games in the lower divisions was massive.

“Spain’s a complete mystery to me. Too many years have passed.”

Most football fans only truly knew their own league and their own team. Harrison was the same—he only had a vague sense of foreign leagues and didn’t follow them closely. He knew the giants like Real Madrid and Barcelona in broad strokes, but clubs like Espanyol in the middle or lower half of the table were almost unknown to him.

“Even back when you were playing, Real Madrid were strong, right?”

“Real Madrid have barely had a weak era. Liverpool may be England’s greatest club, but facing Real Madrid is never easy. History proves it. They were excellent even during my playing days. Bloody hell, we won the league and the Champions League plenty of times ourselves, but…”

“I can’t stop feeling nervous. Just knowing I’m playing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠against Real Madrid…”

“Lucky bastard.”

“What? You mean playing against Real Madrid?”

“No… Be honest with me. Would your heart be pounding this hard if you were facing Liverpool?”

Sunmoon thought for a moment, then shook his head.

“No.”

Hearing Sunmoon’s answer, Harrison felt the full weight of Real Madrid’s prestige again and slumped in mild despair.

“Come on… Why are you getting worked up over that? I’m the one who has to go out there and perform. Just help me do it well.”

“Damn it… Fine. What’s done is done. Let’s pull ourselves together and do this properly.”

Even after returning home, Sunmoon couldn’t calm down. His heart kept racing, and he wanted to brag to the entire world. Then it suddenly hit him—who he needed to tell first. He opened his phone.

Amazing news always leaks. A lively thread soon appeared on Espanyol’s fan forum.

Time flew by, and match day arrived. One hour before kickoff, the Korean football community exploded over the released lineups.

Fans who had begun to catch on quickly realized who was about to face Real Madrid.

On match day, the bus carrying the Espanyol players pulled out of the training ground.

“Congratulations, Sunmoon. Starting in your first-team debut.”

Naldo, sitting beside him, offered warm congratulations the moment Sunmoon received the call-up. But as the pressure mounted, Sunmoon gradually stiffened.

“Uh-oh… You’ve gone completely rigid. That’s not good.”

“Huh? Ah… Hoo… No, I’m fine.”

“You clearly aren’t.”

“It’s just… seeing the outside scenery from this angle feels strange.”

“Ah, you’ve never seen the view on the way to the stadium from the team bus before?”

As they drew closer to the ground, fans wearing Espanyol’s white-and-blue kits began to appear. Their numbers grew, and Sunmoon’s tension rose with them. He had seen huge crowds at Fluminense, but back then he had been one of the fans. Now he was the player they had come to see. Supporters had shown up for B-team games too, but never like this.

“We’re here!”

The bus had arrived at the stadium. Players began stepping off one by one.

“Sunmoon, don’t get too tense. Just get off naturally and follow right behind me. If you feel comfortable, give the fans a few high-fives.”

Sunmoon nodded at Naldo’s advice and followed him off the bus.

“Waaaaaaaaah!”

The moment he stepped down, a sea of fans came into view. Sunmoon’s heart hammered wildly. He reached out to high-five the supporters as he followed Naldo. Every time a fan’s hand slapped against his, his heart beat even faster. Strangely, he couldn’t make out what the fans were shouting. His head buzzed, his vision narrowed, and all he could do was desperately follow Naldo in front of him.

But… for some strange reason, power surged through his entire body.