Collapsed Balance
The shrill blast of the whistle pierced the air—peeeep, peeeep, peeeeeeep—signaling the end of the match. The game between Espanyol and Sporting Gijón had finished in a 1-1 draw.
Are you okay?
“No… I’m not okay.”
Back home, Ha Sunmoon lay on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
You need to get over something like this quickly.
Clive Harrison tried to comfort him, but Sunmoon simply rolled over and closed his eyes.
The reason for his collapse was simple. His body had grown too tall too fast, and it no longer obeyed him properly. Whether dribbling or defending, his balance was completely broken, leading to repeated mistakes.
In Wednesday’s match against Oviedo, he had lost his balance while dribbling out of the back during a build-up, allowing the ball to be stolen in a dangerous area and conceding a goal. Although he later scored an equalizer, the game ended in a draw.
Today had been the same. While defending, he lost his balance chasing an opponent’s dribble and left a gaping hole. The opposing right winger cut inside, delivered a cut-back, and another equalizer followed.
Two matches. Two errors. Two draws.
For Sunmoon, who had delivered victory after victory whenever he played, it was unbearable to know that his own mistakes had cost the team points.
Is this really all your fault? No! If the other players had performed better, you would have been far ahead. You’re carrying that much responsibility against a second-division side?
Clive spoke calmly, trying to persuade him. Sometimes you had to look for fault outside yourself as well.
“That just means my price tag is high… so my mistakes carry more weight. I’m supposed to be tearing apart the second division… but right now I can’t even do that…”
Thanks to listening to Clive’s words over time, Sunmoon had grown mentally. He had become used to confronting himself rather than blaming others. Even in a situation where he had clearly made mistakes, Clive pointing out other problems simply didn’t register.
Damn… This direction of growth is correct, but if he falls too deep into self-blame, his development will stall again. For now, it’s best to leave him be. He needs time to face himself and recover.
“What the hell kind of work is this?”
Jeong Bae-im, Vice President of the Korea Football Association, slammed his hand on the table during the meeting.
“Kang Jeong-ho! Haven’t you finalized the squad list yet? You should have submitted it by now!”
“Well… I wanted to examine the players a little more carefully…”
“What are you waiting for! Didn’t he perform well at the U-17 World Cup and ride that momentum past the other candidates all the way to the Olympic team?”
Jeong Bae-im snatched up the provisional squad list.
Oh no… Why is he holding that?
Head coach Kang Jeong-ho already felt a headache coming on, knowing exactly what the vice president was about to say.
“The problem is that there are players who should be here but aren’t, and players who shouldn’t be here but are!”
“Who exactly are you referring to…”
“Do you think I don’t know you’re forcing overseas players into the squad? Why were these two selected?”
“Ah… one of them plays for Valencia and the other is currently a first-team player for Espanyol.”
The two players Jeong Bae-im had pointed out were Kang Jin-ri and Ha Sunmoon.
“They’re overseas players who rarely get called up, and they’re so young they have to compete against players two or three years older. Is this really appropriate?”
“It’s… not just about age. Both players possess talent that surpasses their age group…”
“Both have good ability? Then why is Kang Jin-ri always on the bench and why does Ha Sunmoon only make mistakes when he plays? Don’t you check these things?”
Ugh… He never checks on the players normally, yet he picks up on the negative points so easily.
Coach Kang Jeong-ho couldn’t find the words to respond.
“Remove them immediately! And add these two players instead.”
Coach Kang looked at the names Jeong Bae-im had pushed forward.
Both are players from his own school… Damn it. Even if their club situations aren’t great right now, Kang Jin-ri and Ha Sunmoon are clearly better…
“If there are good players like this, yet you keep pushing strange ones and wasting time, we’ll have no choice but to replace you. And another thing! Aren’t you giving Ha Sunmoon, that overseas player, too much special treatment? I’ve heard all the rumors. You’re spoiling him excessively. You should treat all the players the same! Don’t tell me you have some kind of relationship with him?”
Really… he’s going to make an issue out of that?
The pressure to step down from the honorable position of Olympic team coach, combined with the sudden accusation of favoritism, left Coach Kang with no choice.
Damn. He’ll spin this to the media in his favor again. I’ll be forced out without being able to do anything…
“No, that’s not the case.”
“Then do your job properly.”
“Yes. Understood. I will submit the final list today.”
Then, almost as an afterthought, Vice President Jeong asked Coach Kang,
“Will you include those two or not?”
The answer was already decided.
“I… will include them.”
“Good.”
Ziiing. Ziiiiing.
The sound of his phone vibrating woke Ha Sunmoon. He opened his eyes.
“Huu…”
He checked the screen.
— KFA Noona —
Confirming it was Lee Ji-seon, he sat up and answered immediately.
“Hello.”
“Ha Sunmoon, this is Lee Ji-seon from the Korea Football Association.”
“Yes. What is it?”
“Um… well…”
Her voice carried the tone of someone delivering bad news.
“We were planning to include you in the Olympic team roster this time, but unfortunately, you have been removed from the list. I’m calling to let you know.”
“Ah… I see.”
“Yes. The message is to focus more on your club…”
But something felt off to Sunmoon, so he asked one more question. The association had been desperately trying to bring him into the Olympic team, so this sudden removal was hard to understand.
“Is that the exact reason? There’s no other cause?”
“Haa… well…”
Lee Ji-seon summarized what had happened during the meeting and relayed it to him. She clearly mentioned the higher-ups forcing certain players, but what stuck in Sunmoon’s ears were the words “mistakes in the last two matches” and “his balance has collapsed.”
Grind.
Sunmoon clenched his teeth.
“I understand. I’ll just have to do better next time.”
“Please don’t take it too hard.”
“By the way… how is the search for my family going?”
“Ah! We’ve entrusted that to a specialized agency. The European branch said they would handle it, so I’ll send you their contact information.”
“Thank you.”
Sunmoon ended the call with Lee Ji-seon.
“Huu…”
You look really angry.
Sunmoon nodded. Being pushed out even from the national team made him feel more rage than self-blame.
You realize it’s going to be difficult like this, right? It’s time to make a choice, Sunmoon.
“A choice?”
Yes. Remember what we talked about before? Will you keep the body with low muscle mass that’s free from muscle injuries, or will you build powerful muscles at the risk of higher injury probability?
Sunmoon looked at Clive. Clive’s expression was extremely serious as he spoke.
Sunmoon’s current body had low muscle mass. He had wanted to follow the light, free-flowing dribbling style of Brazilian players, but that approach had now collapsed. He needed another way.
His height kept increasing, constantly breaking his balance. Using dribbling and individual skill as weapons was no longer possible.
It was time to choose.
“I want to build my body.”
Good choice. We’ll begin the real training you haven’t been able to do until now. I’ll turn you into a true warrior~!
“Huh? Is this schedule right?”
The training regimen Clive had given him made no sense.
It’s correct. From the moment you wake up until the moment you sleep, there isn’t a single hour to spare.
“Is there any rest time at all?”
There is. Walking is your rest time.
The training chart from the British special forces basic course was handed to Sunmoon, and he was stunned by the insane schedule.
“This… I’m suddenly not sure I want to do it anymore?”
But the effects will show quickly. And you can eat all the food you like.
Sunmoon checked the meal times.
“Eating is part of the schedule too? Seven meals a day? Does that even make sense?”
That’s why it’s so busy. The two meals after waking up and before sleeping are ones you have to prepare yourself, so either ask someone to buy them or go out and get them. Two meals will be paella at Raul’s restaurant, and three will be at the training ground, so ask the club in advance.
“Wow… the schedule is really…”
So are you not going to do it? Or do you want to just lie in bed again?
“No. I’ll do it.”
Sunmoon stood up right away.
What are you doing?
“According to the schedule, it’s time to run now. I should head out.”
Clive looked at Sunmoon with a slightly scary smile in his eyes.
Now we’re speaking the same language!