March 13, 2023.
Four days after the fierce battle against Manchester City.
“Dad. I’m heading out.”
“Sure. You’ll eat dinner out too, right?”
“Um… I guess?”
“Yeah. Have a good time.”
“Yes.”
A lazy afternoon.
After saying goodbye to Dad—who was lying on the sofa in his underwear, enjoying a rare break—I head to the front door.
And after putting on comfortable sneakers, I step outside.
Today is the day of the team’s Coppa Italia quarterfinal match, so I’m going to the stadium.
But as you can tell from the fact that I’m leaving the house only when it’s almost game time, and from my comfortable athletic wear.
Today, I plan to visit the stadium not as a player, but as a fan.
The coach gave us a short holiday.
It wasn’t just me; all the players who had played the full 90 minutes four days ago got time off.
Thanks to that, my seat today is in the stands rather than on the bench.
Honestly, since the Coppa Italia is a competition just as important as the league or the Champions League.
I couldn’t help wondering if this was really okay, but since the coach had decided it from the start, there was nothing I could do.
Because from the moment our advancement to the Champions League knockout stage was confirmed, the coach had said he would give the backup players opportunities in the Coppa Italia.
Anyway, so.
Though it’s a path I take every single day, I head toward the stadium feeling strangely awkward.
Since I have somewhere to stop by first, I start walking and pull my phone from my pocket.
Well, of course. It’s Jiwoo’s house.
Me: Arrived
Me: Just come out
After sending the text, I sit on the bench I always sit on and wait for Jiwoo.
We decided to watch the match together.
To be honest, I hadn’t really been planning to go with anyone.
She already watches soccer all the time because of me; I figured she might get sick of it if she went to watch even on her day off.
I was just thinking of quietly watching the game alone and maybe grabbing a meal together afterward.
But she said she wanted to come too, so I just said sure.
Hmm.
Come to think of it, it suddenly strikes me how important one’s surroundings are to a person.
A girl who used to have no interest in soccer has somehow become enough of a fan that she doesn’t miss a single one of our team’s matches.
These days she even talks tactics in front of me.
Well, I’m not exactly a tactical expert myself, but I am a professional player. Seeing her act like she knows everything in front of me is just cute.
Anyway.
Jiwoo liking soccer isn’t a bad thing.
After all, it means I have a friend to go watch matches with on my days off.
“…Hmm.”
…but why isn’t she coming out?
She definitely said earlier that if I texted three minutes ahead, she’d be out waiting.
Far from waiting outside, there’s no sign of her even after five minutes.
Did she suddenly have to use the bathroom?
It was right when I was about to take out my phone again.
“Ah, shit!”
The door opens, and I see Jiwoo coming out with a spine-chilling sound.
As if something had happened, she starts muttering curses the moment she steps out.
What’s with her?
Thanks to that, I unknowingly swallow hard, get up from the bench, and snap to attention.
“Ah, sorry. Sorry.”
However, seeing her run over in a hurry and wave her hand, it doesn’t seem to be because of me, so that’s a relief for now.
“Sorry. I’m late, huh. Ah.”
“No, well… you’re not late. Why are you in a bad mood again?”
“Huh? Ah… no. What are you talking about?”
“Your lips are pouting out.”
“Whatever. Let’s just go. Ah, not this way, that way.”
Why is she so scatterbrained today?
It’s not like she’s even late, but seeing her flustered and confused about the way, something seems off.
Anyway, I follow Jiwoo, who walks ahead as if in a hurry for some reason.
“I told you, you’re not late. We don’t need to rush.”
“Huh? Ah, yeah.”
“…Did something happen?”
“Something? Ah, no. It’s not that.”
…No matter how I look at it, something seems to have happened.
When I tilt my head in confusion, Jiwoo suddenly scratches her head and makes an awkward expression.
“Hey, actually, it’s not that. Sigh…”
“…?”
“So, there’s this classmate. She suddenly called earlier and asked if I said I was going to watch the match today.”
“And?”
“So I said yeah. But then she asks if she can come too. Really out of nowhere.”
“…So?”
When I ask, tilting my head, Jiwoo speaks with an expression mixed between annoyance and awkwardness.
“Well, actually I told her I was going with you? To be exact, I said I was going with a friend, but basically everyone knows my friend is you. Ah, anyway, so she kept insisting on coming, and I couldn’t really say no. So I just said okay and hung up.”
…Hmm.
So that’s what happened.
I nod my head.
Well, I mean.
One more friend coming isn’t really a problem.
I know Jiwoo finds it uncomfortable being around people I don’t know, so she seemed troubled.
But it’s not like she could stop a friend from coming, so I guess she was in a bit of a bind.
“So, what should we do? You’ll probably be uncomfortable, right? Should I call her back and tell her not to come?”
Jiwoo asks, nervously gauging my reaction, and I shrug my shoulders and reply.
“No. I’m fine.”
“I knew it… Huh? Y-you’re fine?”
“Well… whatever. It’s your friend.”
“Ah, she is a friend, but we’re not that close. We just know each other because we’re in the same class? We’ve never hung out outside of school.”
“Then you can get close this time. She probably wants to be friends with you.”
I’m not the old me anymore—that loner who only liked staying cooped up in his room.
It might be a bit awkward, but it won’t be too uncomfortable.
Plus, she’s Jiwoo’s school friend.
It suddenly occurred to me that there’s no harm in treating her well since we have this opportunity.
Well, unlike me, Jiwoo probably doesn’t have to deal with that kind of thing.
Just in case someone looks down on her or something like that.
And above all, since she’s Jiwoo’s friend and not just anyone, there’s no harm in making a good impression, is there?
I speak, unnecessarily putting strength into my shoulders.
“I can get her a ticket, so just tell her to come.”
“…I don’t think you need to go that far. It’ll be uncomfortable.”
“It’s fine.”
More than anything, Jiwoo seemed to be stuck in a difficult position between us.
For no reason, I reacted even more nonchalantly.
Honestly, having a stranger tag along was still uncomfortable, but I hate seeing Jiwoo uncomfortable even more.
“…Got it.”
Jiwoo may act mischievous a lot, but she’s basically a good girl.
After asking several times if I was really okay, she finally said okay and took out her phone to send a text.
“Sigh…”
Then, she soon lets out a sigh.
She suddenly grabs my sleeve and pulls me in front of her.
“Walk slowly. I’ll follow you.”
“…Why?”
“I need to do my makeup. I couldn’t finish because I rushed out.”
“…You said you were ready an hour ago.”
“Ah, whatever. I need to do more.”
I really don’t understand her sometimes.
She definitely told me to hurry because she was ready earlier.
What was she doing all this time if she’s going to look in a mirror on the street? Dangerously.
Unable to understand at all, I shake my head and walk slowly.
And occasionally, while walking and glancing back to see if she’s following…
Hmm.
Come to think of it, she came out wearing a dress she doesn’t usually wear.
She only wears it when going out somewhere nice; she always wore comfortable clothes when coming to watch matches.
“…!”
In an instant, a thought flashes through my mind, and my brow twitches.
Wait.
Something’s weird.
She said she was definitely ready, and now she’s suddenly rushing to do her makeup.
She suddenly dressed up in clothes she only wears when going out.
She looked really rushed.
Those strange behaviors connect to something, and the puzzle pieces start falling into place.
Could it be… that school friend coming now.
Don’t tell me it’s a guy.
And somehow… I don’t think it’s an ordinary friend.
“…”
No, come on.
Rushing to redo her makeup, dressing up carefully…
It seems like that’s the only reason she’d be acting like this.
Hmm… if that’s the case, the story changes a little.
My thoughts suddenly change—should I tell her not to come?
Ah, no.
Whether the friend coming is a guy or a girl.
And whatever she does, it’s not really my business.
It’s not, but… something feels off.
What is this.
This feeling.
One thing’s for sure: it’s not a good feeling.
“…Hey, you know.”
“Huh? What?”
Suddenly, while lost in serious thought alone.
After worrying about it several times internally, I sneak a glance elsewhere and ask.
“So, that friend who’s coming.”
“Yeah.”
“…Is it a guy?”
Then, worried about being misunderstood for no reason, I add some unnecessary words.
“I was wondering if I should give him a jersey if he’s a guy.”
I don’t know why.
I unknowingly swallow hard.
At the same time, I even feel something like I’m standing before a match.
However, soon.
“No? It’s a girl. Everyone in our class is a girl.”
At Jiwoo’s following answer, I feel my tension suddenly, cleanly release.
…What.
It was a girl?
“…”
Hmm.
I end up scratching my head for no reason.
What was I doing by myself?
And why do I feel relieved?
This is absurd.
“Hey, hey. Walk slowly. I told you I’m not done yet.”
“Huh? Ah, yeah.”
Perhaps because my steps had unknowingly become lighter, Jiwoo’s hand pulling at my waist slows me down.
Then, suddenly.
I steal a glance at Jiwoo, who’s still concentrating on her makeup.
…but why is she doing this?
*“Ha, shit. Because I rushed…”
On the way, almost at the stadium.
Kim Jiwoo was looking in the mirror every ten steps.
Honestly, she wasn’t even someone particularly good at makeup.
She had even rushed while walking, so she disliked it even more today.
The curling she had rushed to do seemed off too.
She didn’t like any of it. All of it.
‘…Shit.’
In fact, perhaps what she didn’t like was the current situation itself.
She had been too busy preparing for important matches to hang out with Jian separately even on their days off.
So today was a rare day they could spend time outside together.
But an uninvited guest who appeared out of nowhere made her extremely uncomfortable.
Well, I mean.
Asking to watch a match together—sure, that can happen.
Her classmates would be curious and want to see.
Is Jian popular?
I can understand the desire to meet him somehow.
Even if they weren’t close, if she could see Jian, she might shamelessly ask to come along.
But she just doesn’t like it.
And especially… it bothers her.
What bothers her is the girl coming today.
A friend named ‘Kiena’…
She’s… pretty.
No, not just pretty.
She didn’t want to admit it, but she was really pretty.
That’s why she knew Kiena was a popular girl at school.
She knew Kiena had many male friends around her too.
And from what she’d seen, Kiena enjoyed knowing she was pretty, whatever.
‘…’
Kim Jiwoo, who had pouted her lips thinking of that Kiena, suddenly sighed.
What am I even doing right now?
No matter what, she was a classmate, and here she was badmouthing her.
No, but I can’t help it.
She never showed any interest in soccer.
What’s the reason she suddenly asks if she can join too?
Especially since she’d said nothing until now, but the moment she heard she was going with Jian, she wanted to come. What else could it be?
‘That fox…’
A curse nearly slipped out, and Kim Jiwoo covered her mouth with her hand.
Anyway… she was worried for no reason.
There wasn’t a single guy who didn’t fall for her when she smiled with her eyes.
They all drooled with stupid grins.
Guys really have no taste.
They just like anything as long as it’s pretty.
It should be a pretty heart, the heart.
‘…’
Then, hit by another wave of reality check, Kim Jiwoo hung her head low.
Anyway, after walking while sulking alone like that.
Before they knew it, they had arrived at the stadium, briefly looking for each other while exchanging messages.
“Ah, here!”
In the distance, she saw Kiena waving her hand.
…That wench.
As expected, she’s all dressed up.
Good thing she’d paid attention to her clothes too.
“Is that her?”
Kim Jiwoo replies to Lee Jian, who points at Kiena—approaching with a bright smile—and asks.
And while doing so.
Kim Jiwoo subtly checks Lee Jian’s expression, rolling only her eyes.
It’s a face that any ordinary guy would fall for at first sight.
What if he also turns out to be one of those ordinary guys?
“…”
…Hmm.
For now, he doesn’t seem to be reacting much.
He just scratches his chin with a slightly awkward feeling.
It’s still too early to tell.
“Ah, hi!”
Kiena, who had approached before they knew it, greets them brightly.
…She’s the type to admit what needs to be admitted.
That bright, smiling figure is as pretty as sunlight to Kim Jiwoo’s eyes too.
That’s precisely why she doesn’t like it—
“Nice to meet you!”
…it’s the Italian greeting culture.
Kiena, having spotted Lee Jian, approaches with her arms wide open.
In Italy, a common greeting involves what’s called a ‘peck’—a light hug where you brush cheeks.
“I’m Kiena!”
Kiena approaches Jian as if trying to do the same.
…Even though that’s natural here.
Still, with a feeling of somehow wishing she wouldn’t, Jiwoo bites her molars.
And in that moment.
“Uh…”
For a brief moment, various worries flashed across Lee Jian’s face as well.