After the evaluation matches ended, following light recovery training the next day.
With the coach’s speech about the upcoming schedule and mindset as the final item, the official national team itinerary was over.
Afterward, the athletes dispersed, and I was heading to Seoul in a car with my dad, who had come all the way to Paju to pick me up.
There were four days left until the return date agreed upon with the club, and I planned to spend two of them in Korea.
Thinking about condition management, it might have been better to go back right away, but it had really been a long time since I’d come.
And thinking of Jiu, I decided to stay a bit longer.
When she first came to Italy, she went on about having a European constitution or whatever.
But I guess nothing beats your own home after all.
She was a Jiu who, having only ever cooked for me every single day, was now so happy eating her mother’s cooking three times a day that she’d take pictures of every meal and send them to me, saying she couldn’t believe it could be this good.
Hmm.
But the day before yesterday, right after the match, her voice had sounded kind of angry.
I don’t really know the reason.
She called picking a fight for no reason, saying I must be happy to have so many female fans, asking if I thought I was some idol, so I just shrugged my shoulders.
Anyway, the match is over too.
It feels refreshing, like I’ve finished some big assignment.
Maybe that’s why my mind feels light, but my body feels like it’s slumping down.
I know it’s bad passenger-seat manners, but I recline the backrest almost like I’m lying down and bury myself in the seat.
“Tired? Is your body okay?”
“It’s fine. Well, I didn’t play that much.”
“Still, you worked hard. Just going back and forth is no easy task. Dad came and didn’t do anything, but my body feels heavy.”
“…I’m young, after all.”
“Right. I’m jealous, you punk.”
…Hmm.
I hadn’t said it to diss Dad’s age.
I shrug my shoulders and decide to change the subject.
“But where did you borrow this car?”
“Ah, this? I bou… no. Jiu’s father lent it to me.”
“…Ah.”
“You wouldn’t believe how well he took care of me. He laid out every meal like a royal feast, so I wonder if I’ve gained weight. I realized why Jiu is so good at cooking.”
“Haha…”
“They were preparing stuff frantically since morning because you were coming. Hungry?”
“…Yes.”
Hmm.
At Dad’s words, I adjust my posture a bit from where I was lying comfortably.
Until just now my mind had been at ease, but for some reason I suddenly started feeling nervous.
…I really don’t know the reason, but.
Ever since I decided to come to Korea, ever since Jiu said to stay at her house for a few days, I’d feel nervous whenever I thought of it.
There’s absolutely no reason to be nervous.
Of course, it’s true that being a burden at someone else’s house makes one cautious, but still, hadn’t I been to Jiu’s house occasionally as a child?
Each time, they had taken care of me more kindly and closely than my own parents.
But, hmm.
Now I’m nervous.
I couldn’t figure out why.
*
“Will this be enough?”
“I think it should be enough.”
“Hmm. That, let’s buy one box of apples too.”
“…Can we carry it?”
Dad scratches his head at my hand gesture pointing to the large box of apples.
We had arrived in Seoul faster than expected, but instead of going straight to Jiu’s house, we stopped at a nearby supermarket first, armed with caps and masks.
Since we’re imposing on them anyway, it felt wrong to go empty-handed, so I planned to buy something.
“Up.”
“Can you carry it?”
“Yes.”
“Geez. I wonder if this isn’t burdensome at this point.”
The cart had been full for a while now, so I lift the heavy apple box myself.
Hmm. Is it a bit much?
We bought all kinds of meat, from both sea and land, bought alcohol that is apparently popular with Korean adults, and put in every fruit that was in season.
It had taken quite a bit of strength just to push the cart.
“Shall we go now?”
“Is this enough?”
“It seems like too much, Jian.”
“I understand.”
But I don’t know why it still looks like something is lacking in my eyes. It feels like if I bought a little more, it would be just right.
Anyway, it’s better to have more than less.
Thanks to that, while I was looking around to see if there was anything else to add even after filling one bag.
“…Huh?”
I saw something hard to find in Italy, and without realizing it, I approached as if entranced.
And after looking around here and there, I cautiously asked Dad.
“…How do you carry this?”
“Hmm… Jian.”
“Yes.”
“Let’s go. This is enough.”
“…Yes.”
At Dad’s expression, which said this was a bit much, I scratch my head and look at the item.
It was a massage chair that seemed like it would be good to have in the treatment room, hmm.
This definitely seems like overkill.
“Let’s go quickly.”
“Yes…”
Still, somehow my feet won’t move, and I glance back several times while following Dad.
Even though I bought this much.
I didn’t know why I still felt like something was lacking.
*
“Huh? What is all this? Why is there so much?”
At the items endlessly coming out of the car trunk, Jiu, who had come down to the first floor to greet us, opens her eyes wide.
Well, no wonder… looking at it like this, it really is quite a lot.
Even with Dad and me carrying full loads in both hands, there was still more left, so Jiu had to grunt and carry luggage too.
“Geez, why did you buy so much?”
“Well… because we’re imposing on you.”
“Still, I thought someone was moving in. Ugh, heavy. What is this? Meat? You bought well.”
Even while asking why we bought so much, the corners of Jiu’s mouth rise when she sees the meat.
Anyway, the three of us grunt our way up.
I’m relieved there’s at least an elevator, but anyway… seeing the familiar scenery after so long brings back memories.
“…It’s the same.”
“Huh? What?”
“Here. It’s exactly like the old days.”
Looking around from the entrance to inside the elevator, Jiu snickers.
“It hasn’t been that long to call it the old days. Of course it’s the same.”
“…Is that so.”
“The last time you came here was… hmm. Four years ago? Five years ago.”
“Yeah.”
I nod at Jiu’s words and freshly think that it’s only been that long.
Of course, four or five years isn’t a short time… but it feels much more distant than that.
Maybe it’s because so much changed during that time that it feels more like the distant past.
Me, that is.
When I used to come here to play, I was nothing but a snot-nosed little brat, but now… I’ve become someone doing things I couldn’t have imagined back then.
Since I’ve changed so much, naturally it feels like much time has passed and the world has changed too.
Yet seeing things that remain exactly the same, somehow, I feel a strangely comfortable feeling in one corner of my heart.
The expression is a bit strange.
A feeling of gratitude that they are unchanged, you could say.
It just was.
“Hey, is it heavy?”
“…Huh?”
“Why do you look so down? Ah, I see. It must be hard. You came straight after the match.”
“…Ah, yeah. It’s fine.”
“Rest a bit. You look really unwell, you.”
At Jiu’s words, I suddenly look at the mirror inside the elevator. Hmm.
I can see that my face is stiff and frozen.
Though one corner of my heart had grown comfortable, in truth, I was still nervous.
I’d been wondering since I came, but why on earth.
Why am I nervous?
Ding—
At the sound of the elevator stopping, I unknowingly swallow with a gulp.
Jiu gets off first, and we follow.
As Jiu presses the doorbell of the front door, I finally feel like I somewhat understand why I’m nervous, what this feeling is.
This… it feels exactly like taking a test.
That is, it’s the feeling of having an interview where you might pass or fail.
…That’s why I’m nervous, and why I wanted to buy even one more thing at the supermarket.
Because I want to make a good impression.
No, of course there were pure intentions too… but it’s hard to deny.
I want to make a good impression.
I want to make a good impression… but I still couldn’t figure out why I was having such thoughts.
*
“Excuse me, would it be alright to take a picture…?”
“Ah, yes.”
“Oh my, oh my. What a surprise. Phone, phone!”
Looking at the chaotic state of the house, Kim Jiu felt strength surge into her shoulders for no reason.
Upon hearing that Jian was coming, her sisters who were usually busy and even her cousins had all gathered, so it was already bustling, but when Jian arrived, it became a complete madhouse.
Seeing everyone covering their mouths and exclaiming in admiration, Kim Jiu had to struggle to hold back her laughter.
Seeing her sisters like that was funny, yet on the other hand, the reason strength surged into her shoulders was… well.
It was because of the stories she had heard to death from her sisters.
Whether due to the family atmosphere passed down from her grandmother, or because it was a family with unusually many daughters.
Her sisters had all tended to marry early.
Thanks to that, when the family gathered, a natural competition to boast about each woman’s husband would unfold.
It wasn’t just once or twice that she’d seen conversations strangely flow that way even when they were talking about other things.
Not that they did it openly, but even to her young eyes, it was obvious.
That subtle battle of pride, that is.
Well, for example, it went like this.
One day someone would appear with an unfamiliar bag and complain that her husband bought such an expensive bag when she didn’t even need it.
That it was actually subtle bragging rather than a real complaint was obvious even to an elementary schooler.
Then another sister who heard that would say it had happened to her too, asking why men are like that, subtly bragging while pretending to agree.
In the end, it led to an invisible battle of pride.
Thanks to that, the brothers-in-law also had no small amount of hardship.
Since the sisters did this every time they met, the brothers-in-law had to do everything they could to buoy their wives’ pride.
On days when something good happened, like a promotion at work, they looked like they couldn’t possibly have more strength in their shoulders.
From the moment they opened the front door and entered, they looked like a king on a procession.
The young Kim Jiu would shake her head alone watching such sisters.
She would wonder why on earth they were like that.
But at the same time, she also thought she wanted to beat all her sisters.
It was because their bragging was enough to annoy her if she listened quietly.
She had resolved to bring such a wonderful man that she could shut them up and stop their bragging.
So… well, even though he’s just a friend.
“Wow, he’s really amazing.”
“Seeing him in person, he’s quite tall? He just has a boyish face, but he totally gives off a soccer player vibe.”
“Hey, Kim Jiu. You made a good friend?”
Seeing her murmuring sisters, strength surged into her shoulders for no reason.
Kim Jiu snorted at those sisters and said.
“He’s the one who made a good friend.”
Yet she couldn’t hold back the smile escaping her, her cheeks twitching on their own.
Anyway…
“Oh my goodness. How did you grow up so well like this? Hmm?”
“Ah, no…”
“First, rest a bit. Auntie will make food quickly. Oh my, why did you buy so much? You should have just come.”
“Ah, haha…”
Whether it was Mom welcoming him more gladly than any brother-in-law, or Dad chuckling softly behind her.
Seeing Jian flustered in front of them for some reason, Kim Jiu felt a strange mood.
He was just a friend with nowhere to go, someone she had taken in to stay at her house.
She didn’t know why the atmosphere felt like when her sisters got married.
Kim Jiu didn’t dislike that atmosphere.
Also…
“…Hey. Is there somewhere I can go in and stay?”
“Go to my room.”
“Come with me. I feel awkward…”
“What do you mean awkward? Just be comfortable.”
“Ah, come with me.”
“Sigh, alright.”
Jian, who seemed very nervous and at a loss for what to do, then scurried over and whispered to her, looked only cute today.