119. Pre-season -5
“What’s with these people? Our Jian’s surname is Yi, so why are they calling him Hwang Jian...?”
Kim Jiu, who had been staring at the laptop screen, tilted her head with her index finger against her lips.
What Kim Jiu had been watching on her laptop was a live broadcast of the pre-season match between Fiorentina—Yi Jian’s team—and Manchester United.
That broadcast also had a real-time chat function, and it was because unknown messages kept popping up in the chat window that she had tilted her head.
He was Yi Jian, so why did they keep calling him Hwang Jian?
But then, as if realizing something from the messages that followed, Kim Jiu let out an “Ahh—,” burst into laughter, and nodded.
└Hwang Jian ddd
└God Jian lolololol
└King Jian is insane
└KingGodChampHwang Jian!!
└Daebak Jian
Ah.
So it wasn’t that they thought his surname was Hwang. It was the kind of prefix they attached to mean someone was good.
King meant king, and God meant god.
Did Hwang mean emperor?
“These people are so confusing.”
Embarrassed by her momentary mistake, Kim Jiu blamed the innocent viewers.
After coming to Italy, she had only browsed local communities claiming she was studying, so at her age, she felt left behind by trends and was mortified.
Still, because it was her, she understood quickly.
If it had been the old man, he would have typed in chat saying it was Yi Jian, not Hwang Jian.
“Ah, funny.”
Anyway, finding it interesting, Kim Jiu giggled and continued to watch the chat window.
Until last season, if she didn’t watch directly at the stadium, the only place she could watch Jian’s team matches was on local TV channels.
They said Korean commentary had started this season, so she came to check it out, and it was quite fun.
└Straighten up, you island bastards... This is the king of Serie A
└Man U, attention. Premier League, attention.
└He’s taking it easy and still in a different class by himself, is this for real? ddd
└He could probably devour the Champions League too, just like that
└Going for the Serie A top scorer at 16 and the Champions League top scorer at 17?
└But shouldn’t we consider that the opponent is Man U?
└True, though
└No, but even so, he seems better than Mbappé? Is it just me?
└He didn’t have many touches, but every time he got the ball it was insane lol
└His genius is really insane ddd
└So dazzling it makes you unable to see anything... Just Yi ‘God’
Kim Jiu chuckled.
It definitely resonated much more than when she read comments from Italians, probably because it was her native language.
Thanks to that, although there were occasional harsh or frown-inducing messages, most were praising Jian, so laughter leaked out of her.
Actually, she had heard from her family that Korea was in an uproar because of Jian.
But she had never told Jian about it.
She knew Jian wasn’t the type to like that sort of thing, and the old man had told her to restrain herself if possible, so she had just giggled about it alone.
Having to keep it to herself was a bit stifling, but she was proud and satisfied.
“To think that little squirt Yi Jian is now known by the entire nation. Really feels weird.”
Kim Jiu propped her chin on both hands and smiled broadly. Before her eyes, she could picture that tiny Jian quietly sitting in the corner of a classroom.
Everyone now knew that timid little kid.
Not only did they know him, they even praised him as amazing.
Her shoulders straightened for no reason.
It was a strange thing to say, but she thought that maybe this was what it would feel like later when she had a child and they received people’s praise.
No, well, it was basically true, wasn’t it?
If it weren’t for this big sister, huh?
Did they think he would have grown up this well?
...Hmm.
He probably would have done well on his own, though?
Because it’s Jian...
“...Pfft.”
Anyway.
Every time she saw him receive praise like this, she felt inexplicably happy, yet she also felt anxious every match, hoping he wouldn’t get injured.
It really felt like raising a child.
“...”
While thinking that, a light blush suddenly bloomed on Kim Jiu’s cheeks.
Soon, a satisfied smile spread across her face.
What was she thinking?
Kim Jiu, who seemed to be imagining something pleasant, muttered.
“If I have a son, I’ll make him play soccer...”
Kim Jiu looked as though she had briefly traveled to the future.
Either way, the chat window was still pouring out stories about Yi Jian.
└Player Yi Jian, congratulations. The result of your Manchester United entry test is ‘Pass.’
└Agreed.
└If he learns under Ten Hag for about a season, he’ll be complete. Yeah
└You guys are bullshitting lol
└Jian, come to Arsenal, we’ll treat you well...
└How about Tottenham? hehe
└Seeing all sorts of scrubs clinging to him, Yi Jian must be doing well lololol
└With that talent, he should go straight to Bayern Munich. Yeah
└Bayern is so outdated lol, it’s Bayern-Man
└Bayern-Man’s Man is obviously Man City, right?
└It’s Man U, though
└Ugh, stop nitpicking
└No, but why is the commentator emphasizing that he’s a Korean player? lol Does anyone not know he’s Korean?
└Isn’t it because of the national team? He’s in a power struggle with the association
└What power struggle lol? That he wasn’t called up for this evaluation match? You want to make a 16-year-old kid’s knees swell?
└No exaggeration. The seniors all did it. If the nation calls, you come.
└Ugh, fuck, hearing ‘the nation calls’ makes me not want to go so fucking much
└He’s just insane, but he’s 16. They say he’ll be 20 at the next World Cup. Leave him alone
└Fact) Spain’s Pedri played as a league starter, Euros, and Tokyo Olympics all fine at 18
└He didn’t look fine, though, what are you saying lol
└Fact) The guy above only digested his mom’s cooking at 16
└They say Italy is offering naturalization lol. Shouldn’t they call him up quickly?
└No no, they’ll fuck themselves trying to control him. Just let him do what he wants
└With that skill, we shouldn’t tell him to come, we should go to him ourselves. Ah lol
└Even a 26-year-old would break traveling back and forth between Asia and Europe with too many tournaments. Yeah. It’s right to let him focus on his club and maintain form
└Still, I want to see him on the national team...
└Is anything else national pride? Watching him do well in Europe is a full charge of national pride
└Shut up and just wait for next week. So hyped to see a Korean tear Barça apart
└But is tearing Barça apart meaningful now? Barça is ruined at Man U’s level
└Still not at Man U’s level, you son of a bitch
└Man U is better? Those bastards who chased Messi out with their own hands lol
└Ah, you crazy bastards, why are you fighting here? Just praise Yi Jian
└We praise player Yi Jian, who thoroughly destroyed Man U —All of Kkure—
└We support player Yi Jian, who is scheduled to thoroughly destroy Barça —All Man U fans—
└Why is this heartwarming?
└You think that’s heartwarming?
└How did two teams that once fought for the world’s best spot end up like that... My chest feels tight
└Anyway, the conclusion is: Daebak Jian, King Jian
└Shout it: Champ Jian!!
└I worship you, GOAT
└That skill and he’s handsome too lol
Clatter, clatter.
Having unnecessarily added her own line to the rapidly scrolling chat, Kim Jiu smirked.
But because the chat was moving so fast, her message disappeared in an instant. She tried to type again but soon stopped her hand.
No.
If I get a taste of this, I’ll get addicted again.
If I leave a comment and get even a few likes, I’ll end up refreshing all day.
I need to exercise restraint.
Instead, Kim Jiu picked up her phone.
And sent a message to Jian.
At the fact that she had a relationship where she could exchange messages with Jian, who was being watched by so many people, Kim Jiu’s lips stretched into a grin.
However, Kim Jiu’s expression when exchanging messages with Yi Jian had been like this even before he became as famous as he was now.
* * *
After finishing the match against Manchester United.
The next day we did simple recovery training, and the day after that we came straight to London.
It was for the match against West Ham, our second opponent on the England tour.
Although it was disappointing to lose to Man U 1–2, the team’s atmosphere wasn’t bad.
No, rather, it was good.
Especially the married seniors’ faces were beaming.
As if asking if overseas tours were this great...
“...Don’t tell me this is what you meant by saying we absolutely have to make it to European competition?”
“What are you talking about, you punk. I’m miserable. I want to go home quickly.”
“How can I believe you when you say you’re miserable while smiling...”
“Do I look like I’m smiling? This smile isn’t a smile.”
...Why are they like this?
Anyone could see they were happy to be away from home.
I can’t understand it.
They usually cherish their families so much, yet they like it when they actually get out.
From the moment I got on the plane, I genuinely wanted to go home.
Even though we haven’t been in England for a week, it already feels like it’s been over a month.
...I miss him.
...Dad, I mean.
Since I thought of him, I took out my phone.
I had exchanged messages with him in the morning and hadn’t checked for a bit, but in that time, a message had come from Jiu.
Jiu: [Breaking News] Yi Jian moves to Antarctica
...?
What is this?
Tilting my head, I sent a reply asking what she meant.
Then, as if she had been waiting, a reply came in less than a minute.
Jiu: Because there’s no heat...
Jiu: Because there’s no one above you hahaha
Jiu: lololololololol
...Why is she suddenly like this?
Did she eat something wrong?
So absurd that, although I read it, I didn’t reply for a while, and another message came.
Jiu: Yi Jian, a player only needed by babies who pooped
Jiu: Because it’s a miracle
Jiu: Miracle lol diapers lolol
“...”
I put my phone straight into my pocket and looked out the bus window.
She had definitely eaten something wrong.
*
“...Pfft!”
“What? What’s wrong?”
“Did something go down the wrong pipe?”
“Ah, no. I’m fine...”
Because water suddenly sprayed out while I was sitting on the bench drinking, the surrounding seniors’ gazes focused on me.
...Ah.
Why did I think of that at this moment?
And why was that even funny?
“...”
Embarrassed that I had laughed at Jiu’s random message, I wiped my mouth and glared at the field for no reason.
Antarctica... heat... *cough*.
Ah, shit.
“Nice, nice!”
“Good!”
While waging a lone battle against laughter, the match on the field was nearing its end regardless.
We were leading 2–1 against West Ham.
Today, like the last match, I had only played the first 45 minutes, and successfully scoring one goal, I finished a satisfying match.
Well, it wasn’t so much that scoring the goal was satisfying.
Even though it was pre-season, the opponent had put in considerable effort, so I was satisfied that we had played a fairly fierce match.
Throughout the match, two or more players stuck to me; I thought this must be the Premier League’s pressure.
Thanks to that, I even saw the coach get angry, but for me, it was good practice.
Practice at overcoming pressure without colliding as much as possible.
Thanks to the opponent who seemed to be trying to give me focused training, I felt like I had realized some new know-how.
“Okay, good!”
“Good work, good work.”
“That was good.”
While briefly reflecting on what I had learned, the whistle blew on the field and the seniors clapped and stood up from their seats.
The match ended with the score unchanged at 2–1.
With this, we finished our England tour with one win and one loss.
Now, if we could just finish pre-season and go home like this, that would be great.
Unfortunately, our next destination wasn’t Florence, but Spain.
My desire to return home quickly was burning, but on the other hand, I also looked forward to the match we would play in Spain.
Because we were scheduled to play against a team called Barcelona.
I had only played soccer without watching it much, so there was a lot I didn’t know, but even I knew well what kind of team Barcelona was.
When I was young, playing soccer in faraway Korea, there were quite a few friends who, when asked what their dream was, answered that it was to go to Barcelona.
Having seen so many friends like that, I unconsciously felt that “Barcelona” was a place only geniuses could go to, like Seoul National University if you compared it to a university.
To think I could play a match against a team comprised of such geniuses—I couldn’t help but feel excited.
Just how well could they kick the ball, those people I had only heard about? How well did they kick the ball to be able to play for such a team?
I still had many questions about real geniuses.
“Let’s go back and rest quickly.”
“Yes—”
Hmm.
Come to think of it, it was strange that in this situation, excitement came before fear.
You’d think I’d be more worried about my true identity being exposed to Jiu among real geniuses.
But rather than that, I was simply excited.
If asked why, I didn’t really know.
Maybe because it was pre-season and there was no pressure.
Or maybe simply because I was happy to be leaving England.
...The food here, even though it was the same hotel food, strangely tasted bad.
Every day, I had missed Jiu’s cooking terribly.
Anyway, I just wanted to see real geniuses up close.
And the geniuses who would satisfy my curiosity were surely waiting in Barcelona.