Gelato-Flavored Vacation -1
The afternoon returning from Milan was quite chaotic.
Usually, everyone would head back to Florence on the same bus or plane, but today was different.
They said it was because the A-match week was starting today.
"Take care. Watch out for injuries."
"See you later."
The players called up to the national team parted ways with us at Milan Airport and boarded their separate flights.
Having to report to the national team without even a full day's rest, they all looked utterly exhausted.
Quite a few players had been selected for the national team.
The Serbian Mafia (…)
Vlahović, Milenković, and Nastasić—called as such—headed to the Serbian national team.
Captain Biraghi and Bonaventura took a flight bound for Rome to join the Italian national team.
Torreira went to the Uruguayan national team, Amrabat to the Moroccan national team, and so on.
A good number of them left for their respective countries while listening to the coach's nagging to be careful of injuries.
"Kid, you're not going?"
"Me? What would I…"
"Why? Haven't you received any contact?"
"Yes."
"Really? That's strange."
As for me, of course, I boarded the flight to Florence. National team duty had nothing to do with me.
Someone like me representing a country?
Just hearing it gives me goosebumps. A strange feeling.
Hmm.
Come to think of it, it's already been over three years, approaching four, since I last went to Korea.
Dad had gone back to Korea a few times in between, but I hadn't.
I simply hadn't felt the need to go.
Of course, it wasn't that I didn't want to go at all. Right after coming to Italy, or when things were really rough at Juventus, I had yearned to go back so badly it felt like my throat was burning.
I wanted to visit the neighborhood where I grew up, and I missed Jiu, too.
But I couldn't quite muster the courage to go.
Even now, I'm not exactly the cheerful type, but back then I was really dark, even in my own estimation… If Jiu had seen me then, she would have noticed right away.
That I wasn't doing well in Italy.
But I couldn't go all the way to Korea and come back without seeing Jiu, so I simply didn't go at all.
"Don't you want to go back to your hometown?"
I shrugged at the question from Saponara, the senior sitting next to me. From a distance, he's hard to tell apart from the coach. That means his hairstyle is neat.
"…I'm not sure. Right now."
Right now… honestly, I don't really know.
Sometimes I wonder if there's any reason to go, but other times I think that maybe it was about time I went.
"…"
I quietly looked out the window.
Anyway, right now, the only thing on my mind was getting home quickly.…"Hmm."
I Jian's father, I Wonhun, had a concern these days. It was a worry that nagged at him all the more because he was happy that his son was gradually moving forward into the world.
—Fiorentina's I Jian, started against Inter and played 76 minutes… 2 goals, a rating of 9.0 in a stellar performance!
That was precisely the heated reaction in Korea to the performances his son was putting on.
—Why didn't we know? Hwayeong Elementary -> Maeil Middle -> Juventus -> Fiorentina first team… The genius boy had been quietly preparing to make his leap.
—At just 16 years old, the ace of a Serie A team… What kind of player is I Jian? A YouTube appearance from three years ago is being re-examined.
—Praise from European managers… Fiorentina coach Vincenzo, regarding I Jian, evaluated him as "one of Europe's greatest talents"… Even opposing manager Mourinho expressed admiration recently.
—Rapidly emerging as the hope of Korean football? The 16-year-old boy's performance is unusual… Many top European big clubs showing interest.
—Purely skill? Or premature? Heated debate for and against over whether the A national team should call up the 16-year-old boy.
It was literally ablaze.
His son's news articles were making the main page of portal sites' sports sections, and his son even appeared on terrestrial TV news.
Most of it was good, of course.
Reactions asking who on earth he was, that a real football genius had appeared, that he should be called up to the national team immediately…
Since he himself was in a faraway foreign country, he couldn't feel it directly, but from afar, it felt like the entire country was abuzz because of his son.
So while it was something to be proud of, a good thing, but…
I Wonhun had never spoken of this fact in front of his son even once.
The reason was obvious.
He was afraid his son would feel burdened.
Of course, his son might already know. He had asked Jiu to avoid the topic too, but Jian had a phone and knew how to use the Internet.
He would have been able to find out if he wanted. Well, the kid wasn't the type to look those things up himself, but still.
He just didn't want to be the one to tell him this news first.
Although his son had changed and grown a lot over the past few months… he was still young.
You know how they say crustaceans are most vulnerable while molting and right after.
His son still needed time.
That's why I Wonhun was being as careful as possible and keeping his mouth shut.
Of course, he wouldn't be able to hide it forever. If his son kept progressing like this, the day he received the national team's call-up would surely come.
Anyway, that time would come… but for now, it was a matter of the future.
For now, I Wonhun just wished his son could play football here comfortably with a light heart.
Clack-!
"I'm back."
"Oh, son!"
While he was thinking such thoughts, his son, who had gone on the away trip, arrived.
His son looked quite tired as he opened the door and came in. I Wonhun, who worked in travel, knew well. He knew how hard it was to travel long distances back and forth.
"Just put your bag down there, wash up and rest. Have you eaten?"
"Food… I should eat."
Welcoming his son warmly and about to get the laundry started…
"Um, Dad."
"Hmm?"
"This."
His son took something out of his bag and held it out.
It was a shopping bag, and inside were clothes.
"Well, they said it's what you wear when playing golf, so I bought one."
"Huh? Why suddenly something like this? When did you have the time?"
"Just because. They say Milan is famous for clothes…"
"Hah, look at you."
At his son's unexpected gift, I Wonhun couldn't find the words and simply looked at his son.
But for some reason, his son avoided his gaze and scurried into his room.
At that sight, I Wonhun smiled.
You rascal. Acting shy, are you.…An afternoon where warm sunlight and cold air crossed paths.
"What do you mean I can't take pictures…"
Sitting on a street bench, I grumbled as I scrolled through my phone's gallery.
I was looking at the photos I had taken of streets and buildings in Milan.
I had taken them because Jiu asked me to.
But after I went through the trouble of sending them via message, I got an earful.
She said I only knew how to play soccer and took disgustingly bad photos.
She said just capturing what you see with your eyes isn't photography.
No, then what the hell is a photo?
I took them just fine.
"Sigh."
I sighed, put my phone in my pocket, and leaned back against the bench.
I'm waiting for Jiu in front of her house. She said this wouldn't do and that she would teach me how to take good pictures today or something.
Well, there are no matches for the next two weeks, so I'm free and planning to spend some time with her.
Honestly, I was really tired.
Playing matches every week isn't easy, and recently we've only been facing strong teams.
The coach told me not to come to training for three days and to rest well, so I had decided to really rest up.
"Ummm…"
Honestly, the old me wouldn't have considered going out like this as "rest."
Rest is literally a time to recharge… I wasn't the type to recharge by meeting people and going around outside.
Even now, that hasn't changed.
But… how should I put it.
I sometimes think that rather than what you're doing, who you're doing it with might be more important.
"Oh! You came early? Did you wait long?"
With a lively voice, Jiu came running out of her house in a dress.
Come to think of it, it's been a while since I saw that outfit. It's what she wore on the first day I came to Italy.
"What. Why are you so early. Sigh, did you miss your noona that much?"
"I just got here."
"Ha, Jian. At times like this, even if you really just arrived, you should say, 'Yeah. I came early because I missed you.'"
"…What."
"Sometimes, okay? You should know how to tell pleasant lies. If you want to get ahead in life!"
"…? If nothing else, you're the one who—"
"Ah, forget it. Today we're adding practice on speaking nicely too, I Jian. Got it?"
…Jeez.
She's already overwhelming me the moment we meet. Does she ever run out of energy? She's definitely got more stamina than me.
"Anyway, let's hurry. We'll be late."
"Let's go!"
I shook my head and started walking ahead, and Jiu quickly followed beside me.
She said she found a restaurant, so we decided to eat there first.
"Anyway, I Jian, I thought you had grown up, but you're still far from it. You still have more to learn from this noona. Over the next two weeks……"
Even while walking, Jiu chattered incessantly without a break.
Maybe she was in a good mood; she was even more talkative today. Even when I didn't answer, she babbled away just fine on her own.
Honestly, I'm not particularly fond of talkative people.
It's just because I'm not the talkative type.
Some people say talking relieves stress, but for me, talking itself consumes energy.
So I tend to feel drained when I'm with talkative people.
But Jiu… well, she talks away on her own even without my answers, so she's fine.
"Ah, and the day before yesterday! Right in front of here…"
Had she really saved up this many stories over just a few days of not meeting? I listened to Jiu's words for a while as if tuning into a radio… when a sudden question came to mind.
"But, am I that bad at talking?"
"Huh? What do you mean 'bad at talking'?"
"You said it earlier. That I should practice speaking nicely."
At my words, Jiu burst out laughing and pounded my shoulder.
"Yeah. You're terrible with words. You're the only one who talks back to this noona like that. Hey, do you know how prettily the guys here talk?"
"…The guys here?"
"Yeah! The guys at my school talk so well it's almost amazing. Every single line of their everyday conversation is like a movie line."
"…To you too?"
"Of course. Hey, you're not the only popular one around. This noona is popular at school too. It's almost annoying."
I snorted at Jiu's words as she crossed her arms and shrugged.
Well, I had felt it too; the guys here really do spout cringeworthy lines without hesitation.
Just listening quietly makes me queasy from the cringe.
…Hmm.
There are definitely kids like that at Jiu's school too.
"What? Why that expression?"
"…Huh?"
"Don't tell me… you're. Je. Al. Ous?"
…What are you talking about.
When I looked at Jiu as if she was absurd, she started laughing as if she would run out of breath.
Jeez… why would I be jealous.
Well, anyway.
I don't know how to speak prettily.
Should I visit Jiu's school or something…*"Wow, this is crazy. Look at the view…"
Looking down at the city spread out before her, Jiu couldn't close her mouth.
It was a view worth that reaction. The restaurant we arrived at was located at a place called Piazzale Michelangelo, and it was situated somewhat high up.
Thanks to that, everything in the city center of Florence came into view at a glance, and since we were sitting at an outdoor terrace seat, the view was even better.
"Somehow it feels like we shouldn't make a lot of noise here. Right?"
"Yeah. That's a relief."
"What's a relief?"
"Because I think my ears can finally get some rest."
"Ugh, acting up again?"
I smirked as I looked at Jiu furrowing her brows and puffing out her cheeks.
Perhaps because it was definitely a somewhat high-end restaurant, the customers were quite old. Except for us, everyone else was elderly.
That made me like it.
"Now, shall we get started?"
"…With what?"
"What do you mean, what? Get a grip, I Jian. We didn't come here to play today."
While I was quietly looking at the scenery, Jiu took out her phone and held it out to me.
Then she suddenly fixed her hair, adjusted her clothes, and sat up straight.
"Here, I'll give you the honor of capturing such beauty. Take it."
"…"
Looking at Jiu suddenly putting on airs and acting ladylike in a way that didn't suit her, I clicked my tongue and turned on the camera.
Then I tried to angle it so that both the background and Jiu would be captured.
I mean, isn't taking pictures just something you roughly do like this?
"…"
Trying to hold back laughter because Jiu changed poses as if it were a magazine photoshoot every time I tapped the screen, I took some casual shots.
Then, I suddenly sighed and said,
"No matter how much I take these, I don't think I'll get any practice."
"Huh? Why? You have to take a lot of photos to get better."
"No, that's not it. How can I practice when everything comes out pretty no matter how I take it?"
I grumbled and handed the phone back to Jiu.
But Jiu looked at me with wide eyes.
"…I said the background is a cheat. The background."
Why act surprised.
She's the one who told me to practice speaking nicely, to know how to tell pleasant lies.
…Hmm.
But just now, it wasn't exactly a lie, but anyway.
"…It's not the background, it's the model that's a cheat, you know?"
Watching Jiu scroll through the photos with the corners of her lips rising, I smirked too.
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