00008 A Special Friend ------------------------------------------------------------------------=
After obtaining Football Edit, Minjun, who had firmly set becoming a football player as his career path, spoke to his parents about it.
At Minjun's declaration, not only Suman but also Yeonhui couldn't help but be surprised, as they had believed that Minjun did not seem to possess great talent for football.
They had thought that because it was a remote mountain village with nothing to do, it was merely a game that kids and even adults included Minjun in to play together, and that Minjun only seemed more devoted to football because of that.
But when Minjun said it wasn't merely that and he truly wanted to become a football player as his career path, Suman grew deeply worried.
Becoming an athlete was no easy feat; one had to defeat thousands or tens of thousands of competitors, only an extreme few entered the professional world, and even in that professional world, only a very small minority established themselves as first-team players and received the glorious spotlight.
Other occupations were much the same, but... in the case of sports, once one set their career path, it was truly difficult to turn their steps toward another direction, so he fell into deep worry.
"Do you really... want to do this? It seems like you don't fully understand what it means. Minjun, there's an enormous difference between simply liking something and being a player... that is, making it your trade and earning a living from it."
"I will work hard without shame. I made a promise."
"A promise? To whom?"
"To myself... I made that promise to myself. To work so hard that no one would ever call me lazy, and to become a more wonderful football player than anyone else."
At Minjun's words, Suman, who had been trying to talk sense into him, and Yeonhui, who had been listening silently, stopped their long deliberation. Looking into Minjun's eyes, which burned with unwavering resolve, they nodded.
"Very well, then this father will support you in whatever you want."
"Thank you!"
"No need to thank me... you're the one who chose your own path... hehe. Go rest in your room. I need to discuss something with your mother here."
"Yes!"
Watching Minjun quickly stand up, bow at ninety degrees, and disappear, Suman spoke with a rather pleased expression.
"As expected, he takes after me; he has the makings of a true man."
"More than that... Minjun really seems sincere. Why did you have to go and say that?"
"Well, it's not like our family lacks money... I'll support the boy. If my son makes a promise to himself with those eyes, what kind of father would I be if I couldn't support him in even that?"
"That may be true, but... I'm still worried he'll get hurt."
"It's fine. I have a plan. He just needs to learn somewhere with better football facilities than our country."
At Suman's words, which implied he wouldn't have Minjun taught in Korea, Yeonhui stared at him for a long moment, trying to understand his meaning, then spoke with an expression of disbelief.
"Don't tell me... you?"
"That 'don't tell me' is correct. We just need to send him to Great-aunt in Germany."
"No! He can learn plenty in Korea; why Germany all of a sudden!"
"Germany is incredible at football. Even Cha Bum-kun played in Germany! Their football facilities are amazing. And you know Great-aunt has no children. She must be lonely in her old age; if Minjun goes, it will bring some vitality."
"What about us! What about me! Are you telling me to part with my child for life all of a sudden because of football!"
Suman's great-aunt had been dispatched to Germany as a nurse and married a German man there, continuing to live there. Perhaps because the couple was so harmonious, they unfortunately had no children.
Whenever she visited Korea, she always brought loads of clothes and toys for Minjun, so he believed that if he spoke with her and asked, she would take good care of Minjun.
"Honey. Yeonhui. We have to properly support what Minjun wants to do. That little rascal has grown up until now always wondering if it's okay to do this... always holding back and giving up because he's watching our reactions. But now he's stating so clearly what he wants to do. For the first time in his life, he's saying he wants to do it even if we oppose him. But... if we fail to do right by him because of our own selfishness, then to Minjun, we... aren't fit to be his parents."
"……."
"When we moved to this remote mountain village in Gangwon-do, Sangbong-ri, what did Minjun say to us? He asked if everyone would get healthy if we came here. Even when he couldn't adjust to this place with no friends his age and nothing to do, he always said it was good. If it weren't for the village chief... Minjun wouldn't even have been able to play like that. We couldn't provide any help at all."
At Suman's words, everything Minjun had shown her since coming to Sangbong-ri unfolded before Yeonhui like a film, and she could remember nothing but the sight of him saying everything was truly good.
Not everything could have been good.
There must have been many uncomfortable and difficult things, but Minjun hadn't shown them and had endured everything for the sake of his sick mother.
Ever since he was young, Minjun had thought he mustn't express how hard things were because of his sick mother, and he had continued to do so until now.
Yeonhui had felt this yet turned a blind eye, and faced with Suman's words, she finally confronted it, unable to stop tears from dripping down.
And Suman comforted Yeonhui as he spoke.
"Who said we'd send him right away? We need Great-aunt's permission too... and we only send him if Minjun wants to go. Would he go just because I say so? That's not how it works. If he says he won't go, we'll just have him train in Korea... Let's just let Minjun choose this time too. That's what we should do for him."
"Huu-... I understand."
Though she was still sobbing, Yeonhui also accepted it, so Suman let out a sigh of relief and made an expression that was complicated yet relieved.
* * *
After receiving his parents' permission, Minjun worked hard to learn everything about football.
He rode his bicycle to Sokcho to buy football-related books and supplies with his own allowance, and of course, he learned almost everything in connection with football.
Though still difficult, he gradually came to know about football tactics, and he realized that football, which he had thought was simply about kicking, passing, and shooting, was an incredibly complex system.
Spending time redoubling his efforts again and again, on the day he became a fifth-grader, Minjun heard something shocking.
"Germany... you say?"
"Yes. After you said you'd become a football player... didn't your father say he'd support you fully?"
"Yes... he did say that, but......."
"You know Great-aunt?"
"Yes! Of course. I even saw her in second grade. During vacation... we stayed together for a week."
"Good, I'm glad you remember her well."
Seeing him mention Great-aunt, Minjun had a 'surely not' thought.
He had only known her as someone who visited occasionally, bought him delicious things, and gave him toys; he had never thought she lived in Germany.
"Don't tell me she lives in Germany!?"
"Yes. She lives in Germany. Great-uncle is there too. He's German."
"Gasp! I just thought she lived on Jeju Island or somewhere. She always brought lots of tangerines and such fruits......."
"Who would think their relative lived in a foreign country?"
He had simply thought she lived on an island like Jeju and took a plane to visit. But not only did she live in Germany, hearing that Great-uncle was German was truly shocking.
"In Korea, there's a bit of a thing about that. Marrying a foreign man... ah well, you're not old enough to know about such things... ahem, if you want, you'll have the opportunity to properly learn football in Germany. You know how good Germany is at football, right? Even player Cha Bum-kun said that Korea needs to learn from Germany's advanced football."
"Of course I do! The books I read are either written in Japan or Germany."
"Hmm. Yes. Do you have the will to learn? If you go there, you'll have no friends... the only people you'll know will be Great-aunt's family. Will that be alright?"
Hearing Suman's words, Minjun momentarily paused his deliberation, feeling the question was a bit strange.
"But... when you say only Great-aunt's family will be there... does that mean... Father and Mother aren't going?"
"Yes. You're going alone. Father is busy with work here, and your mother has improved so much in health here. She needs to recuperate more. Changing environments carelessly could make her condition worsen."
"But!"
"Think carefully. Ever since the day you told us your dream was to become a football player... your father has worried greatly, discussed it again and again with your mother... and consulted and talked with Great-aunt. All because you made a promise to yourself."
Upon hearing that it wasn't something proposed as a simple observation, but rather something his parents spoke of after truly worrying and discussing for a long time about his dream, Minjun felt his heart stir at the dream of becoming a football player.
And thinking about how hard it must have been for his father to say these words, Minjun looked at Suman with the same eyes he had when he first spoke of his dream boldly, and said,
"I'll go. To Germany."
"There's no need to decide so quickly. Take your time slowly..."
"No. If a man draws his sword, he must cut something, even if it's just a radish. Whether it's the Youth Association football club or coordinating with the kids... lately, it's been slowly becoming unsatisfying."
"Hmm..."
For some reason, ever since the day he said his dream was to be a football player, Suman had felt that Minjun was developing considerably in all areas, including as a forward.
This was something the Youth Association football club and the children who played football with Minjun also felt, so Suman honestly wondered whether he had been underestimating Minjun, as he had told his wife Yeonhui.
Recently, while understanding and accepting tactics, he was showing good performances here and there, but seeing his teammates unable to support him, Suman had brought up today's conversation.
And as Minjun spoke to him with those same eyes from that day, Suman accepted it calmly and said,
"Very well. Then let's have you go to Germany in about a month. Before that, memorize some basic German... even if you can't speak, you should be able to read. And since it would be good to know English there too, you'll have to learn some English from Dad."
"Yes! I'll learn diligently."
"Our son... looking at you now, you've really grown up brave and strong."
Suman, proud of Minjun's figure who had set his dream and was working hard to prove himself, stroked his head, then gave a bitter smile thinking his wife would cry sorrowfully today.
Still, because he thought this was supporting his son Minjun's dream, he soon gave a bright smile. So that Minjun could depart very lightly and without burden.
---------------------------= Author's Afterword ---------------------------=
Nod, nod.