The Substitution and the Streets of El Raval
"Huff... Huff..." Ha Sunmoon panted heavily as he headed for the locker room.
It's okay. It's been a while since you played a full match, so your body felt heavy in the first half.
It was the fourth round of the Copa del Rey. Espanyol's opponent was Osasuna, the same side they had faced in the league earlier. For Ha Sunmoon it was a relatively familiar foe, yet this was his first game after putting on some weight, and his body still felt a little sluggish.
"Still, I needed to do more for the team..."
You did help the team. You ran everywhere the whole first half and kept the ball circulating smoothly. That counts.
Harrison was right. For today's match Ha Sunmoon had deliberately played as an inverted fullback. His body felt heavier than usual, so he judged he wouldn't be able to produce the explosive, quick dribbles from the flank that he normally relied on. Harrison had therefore tucked him into central areas.
For Osasuna that was a serious headache. They had prepared specifically to stop Ha Sunmoon's wide play; when he instead attached himself to the midfield as an inverted fullback, their tactical plan lost most of its bite. Losing the battle for midfield control, Osasuna could never seize the initiative.
Let's target the second half. You started as an inverted fullback because your body hadn't woken up properly, but after the break we'll go classic. You've dropped enough weight now—if you just recover your energy during half-time, you'll be flying.
Ha Sunmoon nodded and stepped into the locker room.
"The first half was very good."
Manager Abelardo spoke as though satisfied with the overall performance his players had shown.
"Everyone moved well, but we need to be more active and create space."
Huh? Create space? Wasn't that exactly what we did?
"And Sunmoon."
"Yes, Coach."
"From what I saw, your condition doesn't look good today."
"Yes, but..."
"No excuses. Rest today. Young players can have these fluctuations. Pedrosa, be ready to enter the moment you step onto the pitch."
Abelardo substituted the out-of-sorts Ha Sunmoon. Both Sunmoon and Harrison stiffened.
"Tsk."
Fortunately the match ended in a 1-0 victory. After Ha Sunmoon and Pedrosa left the field, the majority of the lineup consisted of regulars who had played together for a long time. They kept hammering away in the second half and finally found the net.
When Ha Sunmoon returned home still dissatisfied, a familiar face greeted him.
"Hi! Sunmoon!"
"Hi, Annie."
On the way back from the stadium, Annie's bright greeting lifted his mood a little.
"Is something wrong?"
When Annie stayed put instead of walking on after saying hello, Ha Sunmoon asked her.
"Ah, no... I was just worried you might be upset about getting substituted."
"Hmm..."
While Ha Sunmoon searched for the right words, Harrison stepped in.
You're a player—substitutions happen. The key is to perform better next time and win your place back. Say it like that.
"Yeah. As a player, substitutions are part of the job. I thought my condition was fine, but maybe the new coach saw it differently. His eye isn't the best."
No, that's not what I told you to say.
"Aha, got it. By the way, I haven't seen you around in the mornings lately. Where have you been going?"
Ever since he started training with Harrison, Ha Sunmoon left for the training ground much earlier, so Annie had fewer chances to bump into him. Disappointed by the lack of encounters, she finally asked about his schedule.
"Ah, I have to head out early for training now. We won't be able to see each other as often as before."
"Oh. Right. And now that you're fully recovered, hanging out together won't be easy anymore."
Annie looked a little crestfallen.
"That's true. But of course we can still hang out after matches or training like this!"
"Really? Then can we go out together sometime later?"
No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.
Harrison repeated the warning, but the currently depressed Ha Sunmoon didn't hear a word.
"Of course. Let's hang out again when we have time. That said, as a professional I have to watch what I eat, so I can't go around stuffing myself with delicious food like before."
Still mindful of Harrison, he added the condition. Harrison nodded. Relieving stress was important for a player. If spending time with Annie helped Sunmoon unwind, it wasn't a bad thing—especially on days like today when something unpleasant happened. Having an outlet for his emotions mattered.
"Ah! Then let's just go to the beach or somewhere nice. That works, right?"
"Yeah, let's do that. Actually, how about today? I'm feeling pretty down and could use a distraction. Want to go out now?"
"Really?"
Annie's face brightened at the sudden invitation.
"Then give me a minute."
"I need to stop by home too. See you in a bit."
"Okay."
El Raval. A rebellious corner of Barcelona, it was the perfect backdrop for Ha Sunmoon, whose mood had soured badly after the half-time substitution.
"Whoa... I didn't know a place like this existed."
"You said you were in a bad mood, so I brought you somewhere that matches it."
Hiss. This place feels off.
Harrison sensed the danger immediately.
"But what can we actually do here?"
"Well, actually..."
"Actually?"
"I came to eat."
"What?"
"The food here is cheap but really good! Since we probably won't see each other much anymore, I wanted to come now."
"Ah... I see."
Strangely, Ha Sunmoon found himself nodding in agreement. After all, most of their outings together had revolved around food, so this felt both familiar and perfectly reasonable.
"Besides, this isn't really a place you come to alone."
"Really?"
"Yeah. The quality of people is a bit... rough? But they're not all bad. Being poor isn't a crime."
"Ah..."
Damn. This is worrying. You two kids, are you sure you should be here?
Harrison quickly read the poor security of the area and stayed on high alert.
"So where exactly are we going?"
"They say the Pakistani food here is excellent."
"Pakistani?"
Damn it. You said you weren't going to eat! You said you weren't going to eat! Kid? Sigh, never mind. It's that kind of day—I'll let it slide once.
Harrison, who had been screaming inside, decided to give up. Since Sunmoon had already said he would see her less often and be more careful, he figured one day wouldn't hurt.
When they reached the Pakistani restaurant known for its delicious cooking, an appetizing aroma hit them at once. Inside, most of the customers had long beards, suggesting they were Muslim. It was something of a tourist spot, so there were travelers too, but more than half the clientele were Muslim, which made Harrison's eyes sharpen dangerously.
"What do you want?"
The menu offered tasty kebabs, curries, and meatballs. Ha Sunmoon, who loved rice, ordered curry; Annie chose kebab.
"It's delicious."
"Hehe..."
The food arrived quickly, and the two enjoyed an outstanding meal. The rich, reliable sauce was exactly what a good restaurant should deliver, and it lifted Ha Sunmoon's spirits considerably.
While they ate, Harrison scanned the room with a fierce gaze. Fortunately nothing happened.
The trouble began only after they had finished and were strolling the streets.
"What the hell are these guys doing? Wait—isn't that red hair?"
"And the one beside her looks Asian."
Hmm? Ah. This doesn't feel good.
A group of men started moving toward Ha Sunmoon and Annie.
Having lived through bad situations in Rio de Janeiro, Ha Sunmoon immediately sensed they needed to leave.
"Hey, where have I seen him before?"
"You know him?"
Ha Sunmoon studied the men. Several wore Barcelona jerseys.
No doubt about it—low-life Barcelona fans. We should get out of here.
But he couldn't abandon Annie, so he stepped forward and stood tall in front of her instead.
"Hehehe."
"I was wondering where I'd seen him. Isn't he that player from Espanyol?"
"Espanyol? That relegation team? Hahaha. Figures he'd be hanging around a dump like this."
"Look at him, dragging a girl along."
"Wow, these footballers start dating early and knock girls up even earlier, huh?"
Listen to these bastards.
The four apparent Barcelona fans slowly closed in until they stood directly in front of Ha Sunmoon and Annie.
"Hehehehe."
"Look, they seem scared."
"Stop it."
The men began shoving them with their hands. Ha Sunmoon batted the hands away and retreated step by step.
"You fucking bastards, get lost!"
When the ugly taunting continued, Ha Sunmoon finally shouted.
At that moment, a voice rang out.
"What's going on over there?"
A middle-aged man smelling strongly of alcohol pushed open a basement door and stepped out.
"Wait—aren't you Ha?"
Luckily the man was an Espanyol fan and recognized Sunmoon at once. He instantly read the situation: an Espanyol player facing several men in Barcelona shirts in a dodgy neighborhood. Although he'd been drinking, his mind suddenly worked with perfect clarity.
"You worthless pieces of shit!"
The middle-aged man snatched up a nearby broom and began swinging it wildly at the Barcelona fans.
Thwack!
"Ah! Ow! That's not—"
"I don't care what it is! Take this, you punks!"
Wow! He's really laying into them.
The fierce broom attack sent the four young men in Barcelona uniforms running for their lives.
"Thank you! Thank you so much!"
"Ha, right? A player like you shouldn't come to a place like this! You nearly got into real trouble... Never come here again."
"I'm sorry. But I will stop by again sometime."
"What for?"
"I have to repay you somehow."
"No need! Just play well! And don't get substituted like today."
"Yes, sir..."
Thanks to the uncle, Ha Sunmoon and Annie were able to return home safely.