Kiss the Ground

“Yuan’s manager?” Jude’s sudden appearance made Cheon Seongju raise his arms with a delighted expression. Recognizing Jude, he also approached with widened arms.Sharing heartfelt hugs and exchanging thoughts and greetings about the game in awkward English, the two looked like long-lost family members reuniting. When Cheon Seongju temporarily stayed in the UK last year due to Yoon Chahyun’s mass media activities, they had crossed paths several times, so they were indeed familiar with each other. As the camaraderie between them seemed surprisingly close for having met only a few times, Yoon Chahyun interjected in the middle, feeling somewhat out of place.“What’s all this about? Your hyung… what’s with the manager?”With a less enthusiastic expression, Jude looked around at Yoon Chahyun, various broadcasting equipment, and Seongju. Despite explaining that they weren’t actual brothers, Jude continued to call Seongju Yoon Chahyun’s brother.“I told you before, it’s my broadcast. We agreed to do it when the league tournament progresses.”“Ah! Come to think of it, you mentioned that. Are you starting today?”“Yeah.”In place of the sulking Chahyun, Seongju enthusiastically explained the documentary to Jude. Pointing to the action camera in Chahyun’s hand, he seemed to inform Jude about self-cameras as well. Jude chuckled and spoke.“If it’s a self-cam, you better be careful not to let it get snatched by Aloysius. He can’t function without that camera of his. Lately, he’s been satisfying overseas fans and such… wants to become Asia’s star or something.”“The more colleagues, the better. The purpose of this program is to show your natural daily life as it is.”“Then you shouldn’t worry. Everyone will love that, right?”The two got along exceptionally well. Seongju, clapping hands like soulmates, added while looking at Chahyun.“Just film it comfortably, Yoon Chahyun. People love informal camaraderie… hanging out, eating, playing games, that kind of thing.”“That’s the most challenging thing to film if you want it to look natural, hyung.”“Why do you have so many close friends in the attacking line? Aloysius and Winston? Kayhill is popular too.”Seemed like they were full of desires for viewer ratings. Imagining myself hanging out and playing games with Kayhill… it felt incredibly awkward. Moreover, if I were to bring out the camera during a meal, it would undoubtedly turn into chaos as it fell into the hands of those game-loving guys. A runway show reminiscent of haute couture might unfold. Glancing at the awkward-looking Chahyun, Jude suddenly said something unrelated.“Just do that with Misha.”“No, no.”Chahyun instantly reached out his hand like a vine, covering Jude’s mouth. However, his nonsense had already been absorbed into the capitalist monster Cheon Seongju’s ears.“Misha? Chahyun, are you dating him too?”“How close are they? They drink, eat meals together. Maybe it’s precisely the picture your brother wants?”Oh, Jude! Chahyun squeezed Jude’s face like a handkerchief. However, the guy who read Yoon Chahyun’s confusion like a ghost protruded his lips through the gaps in his fingers and spat out his words.“He slept at Yuan’s place not long ago! The next day, they even went to work together…”No, wasn’t it you who forcibly pushed the drunk guy in? Before Yoon Chahyun could make any excuses, Cheon Seongju’s eyes flashed ominously through the gaps in his fingers.“Oh, is that it? No wonder your ceremonies are not ordinary. If you’re that close, you should’ve said something earlier!”“Why?”“He’s pretty popular over there right now.”“Why…”“This is working out.”Cheon Seongju, raising his face like a runway model, winked through the gaps between his index and middle fingers. Yoon Chahyun sighed, unable to say anything.“That… face. Seongju, what are you…?”“Isn’t it great if he appears well on screen? Even if he’s caught by the soccer field camera, if he looks like an actor, that’s all we need to say. When you and Yuan slept together, he appeared so naturally. If you were that close, you should’ve mentioned it sooner!”“Why?”“That guy is currently a sensation there. You’re not kidding when you say he’s popular.”“Why…”“This is a jackpot.”Cheon Seongju made an OK sign toward Yoon Chahyun, seemingly refreshing. Perhaps it was a gesture indicating money. The latter seemed to fit better.“Just let Misha be in the camera a bit, and you’ll break even. Your shoulders must be heavy, Yoon Chahyun.”“Hyung, you know he’s injured and can’t even play. Why film with someone who’s hurt?”“Well, he can’t play, obviously. It’s just for everyday shooting. Plus, wouldn’t it be better to have exposure outside of the game? Not only for the player but also for the fans, how worried they must be, especially since he’s from Sweden, right?”“No…”“So, take him somewhere, feed him… How about a good rest for now.”Seongju discreetly slipped the box into Chahyun’s arms like a mafia boss making a deal. Jude mumbled quietly in a small voice, even though Chahyun didn’t understand.“The data will be automatically saved to the cloud, so don’t worry about the transfer. Just take it easy and shoot whenever you have time to relax.”“Alright, for now.”“Again, that face. Trust me, okay? We have to reshoot the intro for our team now.”“Why are you always so busy, hyung?”“It’s all for Yoon Chahyun’s success. If another schedule comes up, I’ll contact you immediately, so don’t avoid it and accept it.”Seongju slapped Chahyun’s back like a pestle once he had set it up like a pestle. Seeing the press box, which had been chaotic a moment ago, getting organized in an instant, it really seemed like he was busy. After exchanging warm farewells with Jude and sharing a passionate handshake, Seongju shook Chahyun’s hand once and quickly disappeared into the opposite corridor.As soon as Seongju left, Jude also immediately turned around and rushed confidently towards the ground, as if he might catch up with Chahyun’s back. It was a close call. Indeed, Chahyun carried the box, which felt light, like a pestle, against his side and followed after Jude.After completing all the additional finishing touches related to the game, the Winchester players returned to the locker room and prepared to return home to the training center.Despite being a very intense game with little movement, Chahyun’s uniform was already dirty. Compared to Leroy’s clothes next to him, which looked like a mop, it still looked new. However, it couldn’t be compared to someone who had rubbed his body on natural grass. Reflecting on the game absentmindedly, Chahyun took off his jersey and threw it into a collection basket.“Yuan, can I talk to you for a moment?”What stood behind Yoon Chahyun was Kaya. As if proving the intense defense, even the defender, Kaya, had a presence that was beyond words. Without attempting to take off his pants, Chahyun turned to look in the direction Kaya pointed. Beyond the locker room door, a tall brown-haired head was slightly peeking out. After hesitating for a moment, Yoon Chahyun walked slowly towards the entrance.“Misha.”Misha, who was leaning against the corridor wall, turned his back to Chahyun’s voice. Seeing Misha’s club champion appearance, Yoon Chahyun confirmed that the person he had found from a distance was indeed Misha. While Chahyun was pleased with his eye for detail, Misha showed a slightly brighter face.“Yuan.”“It seems like the staff bus is leaving now?”“Yeah. We’re going back to the center first. We’ll leave earlier than you.”“Well, if we get mixed up with the limousine later, it’ll be a pain to get out.”Thinking of Misha, who was not even listed on the substitute list and was sitting near the stands instead of on the bench, Chahyun’s lips twitched a bit. Misha approached, saying,“You did well in today’s game. You did great.”“Uh…”After Yoon Chahyun’s vague response, a brief silence fell between them. Although this was the timing for Chahyun, who had played in the game himself, to say something, a sense of dissatisfaction lingered in his chest, as if the game, which was quite satisfactory, was somewhat lacking.Of course, the game was not over yet. The outcome of the Round of 16 would be completely determined in the second leg to be held two weeks later. Having recorded a draw in the home game of the first leg, in order to advance to the next round, they had to win the away game of the second leg.Looking at Misha, who also closed his mouth, just like himself, Yoon Chahyun felt an indescribable thirst, as if there was something lacking or something left to fill. A thirst with an undefinable emotion. In the face of that emotion, Yoon Chahyun just stared blankly at the face in front of him.“Misha… you know.”Opening his mouth without knowing what to say, what popped out was the other person’s name. While facing Misha, who was looking at him, Yoon Chahyun felt a slight softening in his gaze. The taut string of transparent glances, which had been pulled tightly, shook.Misha lowered his gaze from Chahyun’s face to below his neck. What? Where are you looking? With eyes that seemed unable to grasp anything, Misha looked down at Chahyun’s bare chest. Yoon Chahyun, following that gaze, touched his chest as if groping, and suddenly said, “Ah… Am I a bit dirty? Right now…”“…”“Sorry. I haven’t had a shower yet because I’ve been running around for interviews.”Yoon Chahyun said apologetically, wearing the uniform shorts and stockings, information that anyone could infer even without stating it as an excuse. As Misha’s curious gaze moved around, Yoon Chahyun felt his own mind becoming distracted.“Well… so…”As the suddenly noticeable exposure started to bother him, it became endlessly awkward. Even though he had roamed the dressing room wearing only a towel countless times. The fact that he was standing in front of dressed teammates with one upper body uncovered suddenly felt strange. The unexpected exposure seemed to make Yoon Chahyun unable to bear the overt distraction. Just as he was about to say anything to cover the awkwardness, Misha urgently pulled something out of his team bag.A familiar color combination of deep red and light gray jumped into Chahyun’s sight. It was a club’s supporter scarf with the familiar string of characters “Winchester united F.C.” and white fringe. Seeing the number engraved on the scarf, it seemed to be the same as what he had seen Yoon Chahyun holding in the stands.“Oh, that…”“Yeah!”Misha loosened the scarf with his hand and placed it tightly on Yoon Chahyun’s chest. Chahyun involuntarily opened his hands, accepting the bundle of fabric that covered his shoulders generously. The long piece of fabric, enough for an adult to wrap around several times, covered Yoon Chahyun’s shoulders.“What’s this?”“Support. You played well in the game.”Did he stumble on his words just now? Yoon Chahyun found Misha’s embarrassment unfamiliar, and he stared blankly at his face. The ear, slightly above Chahyun’s gaze, looked charming.Why is this happening?“I’ll go now. The car seems to be leaving.”“Hey, wait a moment.”Misha slightly raised and then lowered his hand. After finishing the awkward cheer movement that wasn’t a fist bump or a high-five, Misha, responding to Chahyun’s call with a half-hearted or wavering step, moved backward.“Then… See you at the club this week, Yuan.”As soon as he finished speaking, Misha awkwardly turned his body and walked down the hallway. Yoon Chahyun had no choice but to watch him awkwardly, wrapping the scarf around him like a nymph covered in leaves.What should I do with that?In the corridor, oblivious to whatever was happening, the locker room inside echoed with the peaceful voices of teammates. Feeling the tickling sensation of the rough scarf fabric against his chest, Yoon Chahyun stood in the same spot until Misha’s figure disappeared.***67845: [How was Chahyun in the early morning game today? I couldn’t watch it because of work and just sleptㅜ] └ Barely found some form└ Resting helped with the condition, but in this field, doing well seems to be a problemㅉㅉ67848: [I went to the stadium, and his movements were good, and he helped with a goal in the second half. Seems like he accumulated fatigue.] └ Seriously, if you treat a player like that, even an elephant will collapseㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ└ Sometimes I think he should be substituted, but it’s a shame without our guy,, 67850: [I heard he’s doing some variety documentary these daysㅋㅋㅋㅋ It’s supposed to be broadcast during the league]└ They’re not shooting CFs to death, and suddenly they’re doing a variety showㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ67853: [When you see Yoon Chahyun doing interviews, it’s not a variety show, it’s like a semi-educational show,, Even without watching, it’s predictable.] └ The interview machine appears└ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㄱㄱㅋㅋ Geochul Barrier Man“Variety documentary?”Yoon Chahyun stopped in his tracks and looked at the screen instead of entering the club entrance. What on earth is an image like a semi-educational show? A teammate and a staff member passed by, greeting Chahyun standing alone at the center of the lobby.“Good morning, Yuan. Are you going to practice again today?”“Yeah. Is no one inside?”“Well, unless you’re a diligent guy like you, it’s unlikely anyone will come to the center right after the game.”A hand happily patted Chahyun’s shoulder. As the familiar gesture faded away, Chahyun entered the lobby.Two days after the big game, Winchester FC Training Center was indeed as quiet as they described. With two weeks remaining until the second leg, the intensity of the players’ training was not particularly fierce. If anything, it was on the relaxed side.Ironically, once a sports figure becomes reasonably well-known, they often find themselves not only focusing on their sport, as is the case with Yoon Chahyun himself. For busy players from various countries, filling the narrow gaps in their schedules with interviews or other activities is a very appropriate intermission, especially at a time like this.So, it was natural for the club, which Chahyun visited for practice or other reasons, to have few people. It might be due to the drizzling rain for the second consecutive day, but Chahyun remembered the resentful look of Hong Sam, who had not been able to breathe fresh air for 48 hours, as he stepped out of the entrance. Chahyun brushed off the water droplets on his T-shirt sleeves and climbed the stairs.The gym, made entirely of glass, was so quiet that the sound of rain outside echoed throughout the building. While it might be due to the raindrops falling relentlessly for two days, Chahyun looked around inside the gym, walking alone through the usually noisy corridor of athletes running and exercising.Is there really no one here?His gaze inadvertently turned to the backpack hanging on his shoulder. Through the partially open team back, he could see various exercise tools and miscellaneous items. Among them, the most noticeable was the red scarf.“Guess he didn’t come today either.”Maybe he thought if he came to the center today, he might meet the owner and return it. Given Misha’s quiet and reserved nature, coupled with his introverted personality, maybe Chahyun thought he could find him even on holidays, thinking he might come to the gym today… But that seemed to be Chahyun’s own thoughts.When he saw the pattern of the red and gray scarf intertwined, Misha’s face came to mind. The last thing he saw after the game was his somewhat shy and unexpectedly bewildered face. The cheeks stained red from watching Chahyun shirtless and the gray irises fluttering aimlessly left and right.Maybe it was a bit cute.It was an abrupt thought, but it was genuine. The unfamiliar sincerity that Chahyun rarely showed, the young and immature shyness, made Misha seem slightly amusing and cute to him. If he were to suggest taking a selfie together, how strange and unfamiliar would his reaction be? The camera from Cheon Sungju made him curious, so he brought it along.If they can’t meet, there’s nothing to be done.Approaching the glass door, he pressed the button, and the door opened slowly with a soft electronic sound. Glancing around at the quiet interior, Chahyun stepped inside, placing his bag near the entrance. Unable to use the ground, it was time to stretch his stiff body.“Huh?”Feeling a presence inside the gym, Chahyun lifted his head instead of laying out the mat on the floor. The person emerging from the corner exercise equipment space was Cahill Love. Seeing him draping a towel over his shoulder, it seemed like he had occupied the gym alone for quite a while.“You came to stretch too?”“Yoon.”Perhaps not expecting someone to appear in the gym, Cahill raised his hand belatedly. The surprise was mutual. Straightening his back and getting up, Chahyun awkwardly initiated the conversation.“Are we the only ones here? It’s too quiet, even for quietness.”“I’ve been here since an hour ago, and no one else came. I find it stifling to be alone and resting.”It was a human response. Tilting his head slightly, Chahyun spoke a bit awkwardly.“Oh, me too. After the game, doesn’t it feel a bit awkward? Slightly disheartening and lonely.”“Yeah. Empty and lonely.”Cahill blinked his thick eyebrows, approaching Chahyun with a machine nearby. Even during this leisure time, his distinctive austere face remained. As Chahyun took his seat, he brushed against Cahill’s face lightly.With a somewhat reserved demeanor that could be associated with a stern impression, he mentioned that he particularly disliked showing his face in the mass media other than football. He went so far as to wear sponsored football boots provided to the entire club only a few times, not to mention TV appearances.Despite appearances, the fact that he was a football player and, moreover, held the position of forward seemed to evoke a slightly contradictory favor from fans. Especially female fans. As Chahyun sat next to him, he briefly touched Cahill’s profile without words and spoke first.“Thanks a lot for signing last time.”“What for.”“My younger sister really likes it. She said she got two, one to display and one to brag about. Is she planning to sell the other one?”At Chahyun’s playful words, Cahill showed a rare smile. Although they hadn’t exchanged many words despite playing in the same position, once you grasped his personality, interacting with him wasn’t that difficult.“It’s regrettable that you want my autograph, considering me as your brother.”“Well, I won’t stab you in the heart like that…”As the conversation went back and forth, the atmosphere softened a bit. In a much more comfortable mood, Chahyun opened his bag next to him to start stretching. While rummaging through the bag to find the exercise latex band, Chahyun discovered something unexpected.A small rectangular camera.Although he had brought it along on a whim, he couldn’t bring himself to take it out in front of Alois, the lion waiting for prey. But now was different. Chahyun surreptitiously turned his head to look at Cahill, who was working out on the equipment.Would Cahill Love, the one who even coldly rejected England’s love call, respond to such a ticklish suggestion as taking a selfie? Cahill is popular… Cheon Sung-joo’s words echoed in Chahyun’s mind. It seemed like his greed had transferred a bit to Chahyun. Considering the thoughts that came to mind, it was something he would never do under normal circumstances. However, compared to Cheon Sung-joo, who seemed to be pushing someone else a bit more, Cahill seemed like a safer choice.“…Cahill.”At Chahyun’s hesitant voice, Cahill stopped moving his arm on the machine and looked at him. It was a gamble. Chahyun presented the camera, which he had hidden behind his back, in front of Cahill’s eyes.“Can you help me with this…?”“A camera? Is it for a photo?”“It’s similar to that, but it’s called a selfie camera.”Once he started explaining, words came out smoothly. Chahyun slowly and in detail explained his fate entwined with the contract to Cahill. The documentary about the fans thirsty for victory for the homeland and various circumstances, and the role of the selfie camera in that process.Even while speaking, Chahyun roughly anticipated Cahill’s reaction. He thought Cahill would either coldly reject or politely decline. However, Cahill’s reaction was unexpected.“Well, there’s nothing I can’t do.”His slightly bitter smile was reminiscent of the time when Cahill received Chahyun’s earnest autograph request. Surprised by the unexpected response, Chahyun unconsciously adjusted his posture.“Is it really okay? You don’t… dislike this kind of thing, do you?”“It’s not that I dislike it, but I’ve never received such a proposal. From someone like me.”Well, that makes sense. The image of Cahill Love looking at the camera alone and saying something was surreal. At the same time, it was a picture that Cheon Sung-joo, blind to the issues, would love so much.“Then I’ll buy dinner today. Let’s do it there!” Watching Yoon Chahyun hastily making plans, Cahill nodded slowly. Deal! It wasn’t something particularly proactive, but now that he had obtained permission, he felt like an angler who unexpectedly caught a big fish. Without realizing it, Cahill, chuckling, spoke to Yoon Chahyun.“It’s fine starting now.”“Huh?”“You said it’s about shooting daily life. Isn’t working out at the gym here part of daily life?”“Well, that’s true, but…”“Right now, there’s no one around, and it’s quiet, so there won’t be any harm.”Is that really okay? In response to Chahyun’s puzzled question, Cahill agreed as if it were no big deal. Yoon Chahyun was a bit taken aback by the unexpected enthusiasm, but it was a proposal that was definitely not bad.“Well… since you say it’s okay.”Perhaps he’s more lively than I thought. Yoon Chahyun, with a somewhat awkward feeling, held the camera in his hand. Without reading the guide that was included in the packaging box, the simple and intuitive operation of the latest camera made it easy to get used to.“Is this how you do it?”Chahyun awkwardly raised the camera. Turning the viewfinder to capture the scene inside the Winchester Club Training Center gym, the last shot captured Cahill’s face as he sat in front. The serious expression of the claim reflected through the screen was awkward yet somehow plausible. It seemed like a scene during a game on TV or a post-game interview.“Well… want to try something like exercising?”“Yuan, isn’t that what you should be doing? It’s going to be footage for your broadcast.”“Is that so?”Although he had seen himself on camera, Yoon Chahyun, who had never filmed anyone else, looked at Cahill with a somewhat foolish expression. Even if he simply captured this precious face vaguely on the screen, wouldn’t it somewhat meet the demands of the public? Yoon Chahyun, who was briefly facing Cahill, who was only capturing someone else’s face, was offered a hand by Cahill.“Shall I handle the filming?”“Yeah, uh, sure.”Placing the camera in his hand, Yoon Chahyun settled on the mat he had laid out. While it was small when it was in Chahyun’s hand, now that it was in Cahill’s hand, the camera looked no bigger than a post-it note.